Ranunculus papulentus
Encyclopedia
Ranunculus papulentus (Large River Buttercup) is a buttercup that is endemic to south-eastern Australia
.
10-25 cm in height with underground stolon
s. The flowering stems are slender and erect, 3-30 cm in height. It has 2-4 flower
s with spreading, glossy yellow petal
s.
It has leaves
with lamina 2–4 cm long. The three primary segments each have 3–5 lobes or teeth, or are rarely entire. The petiole
is usually 4–25 cm long. The petals are 7–12 mm long and 2–4 mm wide. The nectary lobes are elliptical or semicircular. It usually has 12–36 achene
s, 1.7–3.6 mm long, with the lateral faces irregularly wrinkled or pitted, or rarely smooth, and when mature often pale and thickened along the dorsal ridge.
, Victoria, South Australia
and the Australian Capital Territory
. It occurs in freshwater
wetland
environments, on mud or in pools.
habit which aids its spread.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Description
The Large River Buttercup is an upright perennial herbHerbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
10-25 cm in height with underground stolon
Stolon
In biology, stolons are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external skeletons.-In botany:...
s. The flowering stems are slender and erect, 3-30 cm in height. It has 2-4 flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s with spreading, glossy yellow petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s.
It has leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
with lamina 2–4 cm long. The three primary segments each have 3–5 lobes or teeth, or are rarely entire. The petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
is usually 4–25 cm long. The petals are 7–12 mm long and 2–4 mm wide. The nectary lobes are elliptical or semicircular. It usually has 12–36 achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
s, 1.7–3.6 mm long, with the lateral faces irregularly wrinkled or pitted, or rarely smooth, and when mature often pale and thickened along the dorsal ridge.
Distribution and habitat
It has been recorded from New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
. It occurs in freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
environments, on mud or in pools.
Biology and ecology
Flowering may occur from spring to autumn. The plant has a rhizomatousRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
habit which aids its spread.