[Buttercups: The Genus Ranunculus in the Columbia River
Gorge of Oregon and Washington]
Plantain-leaf Buttercup, Plantain-leaved Buttercup
Ranunculus alismifolius var. alismifolius
Synonym: Ranunculus alismaefolius var. alismaefolius
Plantainleaved buttercup as seen at the Sondino Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area, Columbia River Gorge............May6, 2014.
The photograph at right shows a close-up sideview of the flower of plantainleaved buttercup as seen in a ditch along Kreps Lane in Conboy NWR at the southeastern base of Mt Adams.......May 30, 2006.
Characteristics:
Plantain-leaved buttercup is a perennial wildflower with one
to several hollow stems which are erect or spreading and up to 60 cm long. The
stems may be simple or branched within the inflorescence.
The leaves are long (to 15 cm), narrow, and lanceolate with
long plantain-like petioles which may be as much as twice as long as the blades.
. The leaves are usually entire, but may be slightly toothed. The stem leaves
are reduced in size and alternate or opposite. The upper leaves are short petiolate
or sessile.
The inflorescence consists of one to many flowers with long
peidicels (up to 15 cm long). Individual flowers are a shiny yellow, with 5
petals measuring 5-10 mm long and 5 greenish, hairy sepals from 3-5 mm long.The
stamens number from 25 to 90.
Habitat:
Plantain-leaf buttercup is found in wet swales and pond margins,
along streambanks or in moist alpine meadows.
Range:
Plantain-leaf buttercup is widespread in distribution throughout
the western United States and southwestern Canada.
In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations
of 500'-2300' between the White Salmon River and The Dalles, OR.
The photograph shows a close-up sideview of the flower of plantainleaved buttercup as seen in a ditch along Kreps Lane in Conboy NWR at the southeastern base of Mt Adams.......May 30, 2006.
The upper stem of plantainedleaved buttercup beginning to bloom in the vernally inundated meadows at Panakanic in western Klickitat County...........May 17, 2013.
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The photos above show a stem leaf (left) and basal leaf (right) of plantainleaved buttercup as seen at Conboy NWR.......May 30, 2006.
The margins of this variety are often serrulate.
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Plantain-leaved buttercup beginning to bloom in a moist area with a vernal pond on the south side of Marsh Hill, Columbia River Gorge.....April 17, 2022.
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Two photos of the habitat of plantainleaved buttercup as seen at the Sondino Unit of the Klickitat Wildlife Area, Columbia River Gorge............May6, 2014.
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Plantainleaved buttercup as seen in a small game-stock pond near the South Klickitat Breaks Road, Klickitat Wildlife Area............May 16, 2014.
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Plantainleaved buttercup as seen in a small vernal pond about 100 yards south of Marsh Hill, Columbia River Gorge...........April 14, 2018.
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Plantainleaved buttercup observed in bloom at a small vernal pond about 100 yards south of Marsh Hill, Columbia River Gorge.........April 28, 2023.
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Plantain-leaved buttercup blooming in a moist swale near upper Rattlesnake Creek, just downstream from the meadows at Panacanic, western Klickitat County, Oregon..........May 6, 2015.
Paul Slichter