Stems erect or ascending, not rooting nodally, glabrous or hirsute. Roots slender or fusiform-thickened basally, glabrous. Leaves: basal leaf blades with base acute; proximal cauline leaf blades lanceolate, ovate, or elliptic, 1.8-14.1 × 0.7-2.9 cm, base acuminate to rounded, margins entire or serrulate, apex obtuse to acuminate. Inflorescences: bracts lanceolate. Flowers: receptacle glabrous; sepals 5, spreading or reflexed from base, 2-6 × 1-4 mm, glabrous or hirsute; petals 5-12, 5-14 × 2-8 mm; nectary scales glabrous. Heads of achenes hemispheric to globose, 3-7 × 4-8 mm; achenes 1.6-2.8 × 1.2-2 mm, glabrous or rarely hispid; beak lance-subulate, straight or weakly curved, 0.4-1.2 mm.

Distribution

B.C., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Varieties 6 (6 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Petals 7–12 on most flowers, 2–3 mm broad. Ranunculus alismifolius var. montanus
1 Petals 4–6(–8), 2–8 mm broad. > 2
2 Stems 3.5–8 mm thick; leaf margins serrulate. Ranunculus alismifolius var. alismifolius
2 Stems 1–3 mm thick; leaf margins entire. > 3
3 Leaf blades ovate or elliptic. Ranunculus alismifolius var. alismellus
3 Leaf blades broadly to narrowly lanceolate. > 4
4 Petals 10–14 mm; California and Nevada. Ranunculus alismifolius var. lemmonii
4 Petals 5–8 mm; widespread. > 5
5 Roots fusiform-thickened proximally; stems and petioles glabrous or pubescent. Ranunculus alismifolius var. davisii
5 Roots not or scarcely fusiform-thickened proximally; stems and petioles glabrous. Ranunculus alismifolius var. hartwegii