Ranunculus bulbosus L.
bulbous buttercup
Perennial; roots all fibrous, arising from a short, swollen, bulb-like rootstock. Stems ± slender, erect, (15)-20-30-(60) cm long, with appressed hairs. Lvs sparsely to densely hairy, 3-foliolate, the middle leaflet stipitate. Basal and lower cauline lvs ovate-deltoid, 3-7-(10) × 2-6-(8) cm; leaflets obovate-cuneate, 3-lobed, dentate; petioles sparsely covered in appressed hairs, (4)-8-25 cm long. Upper cauline lvs similar, becoming sessile; leaflets linear-lobed. Fls numerous per stem, 20-30 mm diam. Pedicels erect, with appressed hairs, sulcate, (2)-4-10 cm long. Sepals 5, hairy, deflexed, 6-8 mm long. Petals 5, yellow, obovate, 8-12 × 6-8 mm; nectary single, basal, covered by a broad obtuse scale. Receptacle hairy. Achenes 20-40, in globose heads, glabrous, strongly flattened, bordered, obovate; body 2.5-3 × c. 2 mm; face smooth; beak curved, c. 0.5 mm long.
N.: Little Barrier Id, Auckland, Waikato, East Cape, Taranaki, Wellington; S.: Nelson, Canterbury.
Europe, Asia, N. Africa 1872
Pasture, waste land, wet places, roadsides.
Possibly poisonous (Connor 1977).
R. bulbosus is similar to R. sardous, but differs in its bulbous corms, its smooth-faced achenes, and darker yellow petals. N.Z. specimens are referable to subsp. bulbosus.
