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FOC | Family List | FOC Vol. 6 | Ranunculaceae

34. Ranunculus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 548. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 243; 1754.

毛茛属 mao gen shu

Wang Wencai; Michael G. Gilbert

Herbs perennial or annual, terrestrial or rarely aquatic. Stems usually leafy. Leaves usually both basal and along stem, lower leaves petiolate, petiole expanded into sheath at base; leaf blade simple, palmately divided, 1- or 2-ternate or, rarely, pinnate. Inflorescence a solitary terminal or leaf-opposed flower, or a simple or compound monochasium. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Receptacle ± convex, sometimes forming androgynophore (Ranunculus angustisepalus). Sepals (3--)5(--7), usually greenish, occasionally dark reddish or purple, very rarely abaxial sepal appendiculate (R. angustisepalus), deciduous or, rarely, persistent. Petals (3--)5(--10), yellow, rarely white, exceptionally red (not in Flora area), base shortly clawed, with foveolate adaxial nectary pit which is sometimes covered by a scale. Stamens numerous or rarely few. Carpels numerous, sessile or rarely stalked (R. podocarpus); ovule 1 per carpel, basal; style usually present, with adaxial stigmatic tissue, sometimes absent; distinct stigma usually absent. Fruit aggregate, globose, ovoid, or cylindric, with numerous achenes. Achenes ovoid, obovoid, or slightly to strongly bilaterally compressed, smooth, sometimes tuberculate or spiny, sometimes marginate or winged along sutures, usually greenish, black in R. melanogynus. Seeds with a copious endosperm and small embryo.

About 550 species: widespread on all continents except Antarctica, mainly in N temperate regions; 125 species (66 endemic) in China.

Much use has to be made of the form of the leaf blade which varies from simple and entire through to ternately compound. The following terms are used in this account: 3-sect, i.e., divided almost to petiole so as to be almost compound; 3-partite, i.e., divided for half or more of the length of the leaf blade; 3-fid, i.e., divided for less than half of the length of the leaf blade; and 3-lobed, i.e., shallowly and irregularly divided. Some species are very variable and hence have been keyed out several times in the following key.

Species nos. 1–81 in this account belong to Ranunculus sect. Auricomus (Spach) Tamura, a taxonomically difficult group in which apomixis is known to occur.


Key 2

1 Basal leaves 3-lobed.   (2)
+ Basal leaves 3-partite, 3-sect, or ternate.   (24)
       
2 (1) Petals abaxially puberulent   63 R. hamiensis
+ Petals glabrous.   (3)
       
3 (2) Petal nectary pit with a scale   75 R. xinningensis
+ Petal nectary pit without scale.   (4)
       
4 (3) Carpels and achenes puberulent.   (5)
+ Carpels and achenes glabrous.   (9)
       
5 (4) Fibrous roots subequally thick.   (6)
+ Fibrous roots thickened at base.   (7)
       
6 (5) Basal leaves 1(--3), blade thinly papery, reniform, rarely orbicular-ovate, 2--5 cm wide, base usually cordate; stem leaves 3--7-sect; style shorter than ovary   59 R. monophyllus
+ Basal leaves ca. 4, blade leathery, suborbicular or orbicular-ovate, 0.8--1.4 cm wide, base subcordate; stem leaves 3-lobed or 3-sect; styles 2 × as long as ovary   73 R. pseudolobatus
       
7 (5) Blade of basal leaves flabellate or flabellate-ovate, base subtruncate to cuneate   64 R. felixii
+ Blade of basal leaves pentagonal or reniform, base cordate.   (8)
       
8 (7) Stem leaves 3-sect; style 0.6--1 mm   71 R. dielsianus
+ Stem leaves 3-lobed; style ca. 0.4 mm   72 R. limprichtii
       
9 (4) Leaves glabrous.   (10)
+ Leaves puberulent.   (17)
       
10 (9) Plants aquatic; petals 2.5--4.2 mm; style up to 0.1 mm.   (11)
+ Plants of alpine meadows or grassy slopes; petals 5.5--13 mm; style 0.5--0.7 mm.   (12)
       
11 (10) Stems 10--40 cm, glabrous; receptacle puberulent; aggregate fruit 5--6 mm in diam.   84 R. natans
+ Stems 3--5 cm, subglabrous or sparsely puberulent; receptacle glabrous; aggregate fruit 3--4 mm in diam.   85 R. intramongolicus
       
12 (10) Blade of basal leaves up to 3--3.5 cm wide, lateral lobes with 3--6 rounded teeth; petals 9--17 mm wide.   (13)
+ Blade of basal leaves up to 1.4 cm wide, lateral lobes entire; petals 2.5--8.5 mm wide.   (14)
       
13 (12) Sepals abaxially yellowish puberulent   60 R. albertii
+ Sepals abaxially black-brown puberulent   61 R. transiliensis
       
14 (12) Petal apex emarginate   54 R. yechengensis
+ Petal apex rounded.   (15)
       
15 (14) Stem leaves undivided, lanceolate, 3-sect sometimes only in R. nephelogenes var. geniculatus   56 R. nephelogenes
+ Stem leaves 3-partite or 3-sect.   (16)
       
16 (15) Blades of basal leaves trapeziform-ovate, 0.8--2 cm wide, base subtruncate or truncate-cordate,   43 R. popovii
+ Blades of basal leaves ovate or narrowly obovate, 0.5--0.9 cm wide, base broadly cuneate or rounded   51 R. pulchellus
       
17 (9) Basal leaf blade bases cuneate.   (18)
+ Basal leaf blade bases cordate, rounded, or broadly cuneate.   (19)
       
18 (17) Basal leaf blade broadly cuneate or obovate, up to 1.5 cm; flowers solitary   48 R. yaoanus
+ Basal leaf blade narrowly oblong or lanceolate-linear, 2--6 cm; flowers solitary or 2 or 3 in a terminal monochasium   57 R. membranaceus
       
19 (17) Basal leaf blade bases cordate.   (20)
+ Basal leaf blade bases rounded or broadly cuneate.   (21)
       
20 (19) Stems 19--24 cm; basal leaves 1.6--2.4 cm wide, adaxially sparsely puberulent, abaxially glabrous; receptacle puberulent; petals obovate, 5--6.5 × 4.5--7 mm   68 R. menyuanensis
+ Stems 5.5--8.5 cm; basal leaves 0.6--1 cm wide, adaxially glabrous, abaxially strigose; receptacle glabrous; petals flabellate or broadly obovate, 6--7.5 × 6--9.5 mm   70 R. zhungdianensis
       
21 (19) Lateral lobe of basal leaf with up to 4 obliquely triangular locules   44 R. pectinatilobus
+ Lateral lobe of basal leaf undivided or 2-lobed.   (22)
       
22 (21) Stems and leaves drying blackish; basal leaves densely appressed ciliate at margin   53 R. densiciliatus
+ Stems and leaves not drying blackish; basal leaves not ciliate or with sparse spreading hairs.   (23)
       
23 (22) Lateral lobes of basal leaves unequally 2-lobed   43 R. popovii
+ Lateral lobes of basal leaves usually undivided   69 R. dongrergensis
       
24 (1) Basal leaves ternate.   (25)
+ Basal leaves 3-partite or 3-sect.   (38)
       
25 (24) Carpels and achenes puberulent.   (26)
+ Carpels and achenes glabrous.   (29)
       
26 (25) Stems 20--30 cm; leaflets 2 or 3 × dissected, ultimate lobules subfiliform; flowers 2 or 3 in a monochasium   50 R. nematolobus
+ Stems 4.5--16 cm; leaflets with ultimate lobules ovate, narrowly ovate, or oblong; flowers solitary.   (27)
       
27 (26) Receptacle puberulent; petals broadly obovate, 8--12 × 6--10 mm   31 R. gelidus
+ Receptacle glabrous; petals narrowly obovate or cuneate, 5.8--6.5 × 2.6--4 mm.   (28)
       
28 (27) Basal leaves abaxially sericeous, central leaflet 3-lobed   35 R. stenorhynchus
+ Basal leaves adaxially glabrous, central leaflet 3-partite or 3-sect   39 R. polii
       
29 (25) Stolons present, ca. 20 cm, strigose; flowers 2 in terminal monochasium   40 R. yanshanensis
+ Stolons absent; flowers solitary, terminal or leaf-opposed.   (30)
       
30 (29) Sepals completely or partly dark purple.   (31)
+ Sepals greenish.   (32)
       
31 (30) Sepals uniformly dark purple; longest petiole 6--8.5 cm; leaf blade glabrous   32 R. rufosepalus
+ Sepals with purple margins; longest petiole 2--5 cm; leaf blade sparsely pubescent   33 R. adoxifolius
       
32 (30) Petals 3 or 4, cuneate or cuneate-obovate; leaflets 1 or 2 × dissected, ultimate lobules lanceolate-linear;   49 R. jingyuanensis
+ Petals 5; leaflets not as dissected, ultimate lobules ovate or narrowly ovate.   (33)
       
33 (32) Stamens 5--14.   (34)
+ Stamens many.   (35)
       
34 (33) Fibrous roots thick at base; stamens 7--14   34 R. mainlingensis
+ Fibrous roots uniformly thick; stamens 5   48 R. yaoanus
       
35 (33) Petiole 8--15 cm; basal leaves ca. 2.   (36)
+ Petiole 2--6.5 cm; basal leaves 3--8.   (37)
       
36 (35) Leaf blade appressed puberulent, terminal segment irregularly 3-fid; petals 7--12 × 6--10 mm, obovate-orbicular   36 R. formosa-montanus
+ Leaf blade glabrous or nearly so, terminal segment pinnatifid; petals 9--12 × 4--6 mm, narrowly obovate   38 R. morii
       
37 (35) Stem very slender, trailing and rooting from upper nodes; basal leaves ca. 3   37 R. matsudae
+ Stem erect, not rooting from upper nodes; basal leaves 4--8,   39 R. polii
       
38 (24) Basal leaves 3-sect.   (39)
+ Basal leaves 3-partite.   (66)
       
39 (38) Carpels and achenes puberulent.   (40)
+ Carpels and achenes glabrous.   (45)
       
40 (39) Flowers in a monochasium.   (41)
+ Flowers solitary.   (42)
       
41 (40) Blades of basal leaves up to 4 cm wide; central segment 3-lobed, lobes ovate   25 R. hirtellus
+ Blades of basal leaves up to 2(--3.4) cm; central segment usually 2 × dissected, ultimate lobules linear-lanceolate   47 R. tanguticus
       
42 (40) Petals puberulent adaxially near nectary pit   3 R. polyrhizos
+ Petals glabrous.   (43)
       
43 (42) Stems 20--26 cm, mostly glabrous, sparsely puberulent only near apex; basal leaf 1   59 R. monophyllus
+ Stems 5--14 cm, puberulent; basal leaves 3--5.   (44)
       
44 (43) Leaf hairs 0.8--1 mm; flower ca. 1 cm in diam.   25 R. hirtellus
+ Leaf hairs 0.3--0.6 mm; flower 1.7--2 cm in diam.   31 R. gelidus
       
45 (39) Leaves all basal; scape 4.5--7 mm   30 R. oreionannos
+ Leaves basal and stem; stems taller.   (46)
       
46 (45) Basal leaves leathery, glabrous, or only adaxially puberulent.   (47)
+ Basal leaves papery or herbaceous.   (50)
       
47 (46) Petals flabellate-obovate or broadly obovate, 10--16 mm; central segment of basal leaf long elliptic or oblanceolate, undivided   15 R. chuanchingensis
+ Petals obovate or broadly obovate, up to 7--10 mm; central segment of basal leaf rhombic, obovate, or ovate, usually 3-lobed.   (48)
       
48 (47) Lateral segments of basal leaf blade oblong, undivided   26 R. banguoensis
+ Lateral segments of basal leaf blade oblique flabellate, unequally 2-cleft.   (49)
       
49 (48) Stems 3.5--15 cm; flowers solitary, or 2 in a monochasium; petals obovate, 5--10 × 4--12 mm   16 R. glareosus
+ Stems 1.5--3.7 cm; flowers solitary; petals broadly obovate, 5.5--7 × 4--6.5 mm   28 R. glabricaulis
       
50 (46) Basal leaf blade segments linear, undivided.   (51)
+ Basal leaf blade segments not linear, usually divided.   (52)
       
51 (50) Stems prostrate, rooting adventitiously near base, up to 27 cm; basal leaves glabrous, base cuneate, lateral segments spreading at an acute angle to central segment   56 R. nephelogenes
+ Stems erect, 5--6 cm; basal leaves adaxially glabrous, abaxially appressed puberulent, base subtruncate, lateral segments spreading at a right angle to central segment   58 R. hejingensis
       
52 (50) Inflorescence a 2- or 3-flowered monochasium.   (53)
+ Inflorescence 1-flowered.   (54)
       
53 (52) Basal leaf blade base broadly cuneate; flower 1--1.7 cm diam.   41 R. potaninii
+ Basal leaf blade base deeply cordate; flower ca. 2.5 cm diam.   24 R. balikunensis
       
54 (52) Basal leaf blade base broadly cuneate   41 R. potaninii
+ Basal leaf blade base cordate or cordate-truncate.   (55)
       
55 (54) Basal leaf blade base cordate-truncate   45 R. brotherusii
+ Basal leaf blade base cordate.   (56)
       
56 (55) Stems prostrate, filiform, up to 20 cm   19 R. pegaeus
+ Stems erect.   (57)
       
57 (56) Fibrous roots conspicuously thickened at base   14 R. pseudopygmaeus
+ Fibrous roots subequally thick, in R. hirtellus above slightly thickened.   (58)
       
58 (57) Segments of basal leaf 1--3 × dissected, ultimate lobules lanceolate-linear   47 R. tanguticus
+ Segments of basal leaf not dissected, ultimate lobules ovate or narrowly ovate.   (59)
       
59 (58) Sepals dark red   23 R. rubrocalyx
+ Sepals greenish.   (60)
       
60 (59) Receptacle yellow puberulent; sepals persistent   20 R. glacialiformis
+ Receptacle glabrous, subglabrous or sparsely white puberulent only in R. songoricus; sepals deciduous.   (61)
       
61 (60) Basal leaves 2--4.4 cm wide; receptacle subglabrous or sparsely puberulent; stamens ca. 70; stems 7--30 cm   1 R. songoricus
+ Basal leaves less than 2 cm wide; receptacle glabrous; stamens fewer than 35; stems usually less than 10 cm.   (62)
       
62 (61) Petals oblong, 4--5.2 mm   18 R. micronivalis
+ Petals obovate.   (63)
       
63 (62) Central segment of basal leaf undivided, obovate or obovate-oblong.   (64)
+ Central segment of basal leaf 3-lobed, rhombic-obovate   (65)
       
64 (63) Stems puberulent; basal leaves appressed yellowish pubescent   25 R. hirtellus
+ Stems and basal leaves glabrous   29 R. pedicellatus
       
65 (63) Stems 5--12(--20) cm; basal leaves 4--14(--22) mm wide; stem leaves 2; ovary as long as styles   17 R. petrogeiton
+ Stems 1--2.5 cm; basal leaves up to 4 mm wide; stem leaf 1; ovary 3 × longer than styles   27 R. dingjieensis
       
66 (38) Petals hairy.   (67)
+ Petals glabrous.   (68)
       
67 (66) Stems 5--18 cm; basal leaves 0.7--1.8 × 1--3.2 cm, base cordate, rarely subtruncate; petals obovate, adaxially puberulent near nectary pit, abaxially glabrous; achenes puberulent   3 R. polyrhizos
+ Stems 20--30 cm; basal leaves larger, 2.5--4 × 2--4 cm, base truncate; petals ovate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially puberulent; achenes glabrous   63 R. hamiensis
       
68 (66) Carpels and achenes puberulent.   (69)
+ Carpels and achenes glabrous.   (76)
       
69 (68) Fibrous roots thickened at base.   (70)
+ Fibrous roots subequally thick, not thickened at base.   (71)
       
70 (69) Basal leaf blade base broadly cuneate   64 R. felixii
+ Basal leaf blade base cordate   71 R. dielsianus
       
71 (69) Stems mostly glabrous, sparsely puberulent only below flower; receptacle glabrous.   (72)
+ Stems puberulent throughout; receptacle puberulent.   (73)
       
72 (71) Basal leaves ca. 10, herbaceous   6 R. franchetii
+ Basal leaf 1, papery   59 R. monophyllus
       
73 (71) Stems densely brownish puberulent; basal leaf blades abaxially puberulent, adaxially glabrous   43 R. popovii
+ Stems sparsely white puberulent; basal leaf blades glabrous on both surfaces.   (74)
       
74 (73) Basal leaf blade base subtruncate   13 R. nankotaizanus
+ Basal leaf blade base cordate.   (75)
       
75 (74) Stems (10--)15--25 cm; basal leaf blade with lateral segments pectinately 4- or 5-cleft, white puberulent; flowers 1.4--1.9 cm in diam.   4 R. pedatifidus
+ Stems 7--14 cm; basal leaf blade with lateral segments unequally 2 or 3-lobed, yellowish strigose; flowers 0.9--1.1 cm in diam.   25 R. hirtellus
       
76 (68) Fibrous roots thickened at base.   (77)
+ Fibrous roots subequally thick, not thickened at base.   (78)
       
77 (76) Stems 0.8--5 cm; basal leaf blade 3--8 mm wide, adaxially glabrous or sparsely puberulent, abaxially glabrous; receptacle glabrous   14 R. pseudopygmaeus
+ Stems ca. 40 cm; basal leaf blade 12--20 mm wide, adaxially glabrous, abaxially puberulent; receptacle puberulent   71 R. dielsianus
       
78 (76) Basal leaf blades with base truncate, rounded, broadly cuneate, or cuneate (R. chuanchingensis, R. trautvetterianus, and R. brotherusii) sometimes cordate-truncate.   (79)
+ Basal leaf blade base cordate.   (92)
       
79 (78) Plants aquatic   82 R. radicans
+ Plants of alpine meadows or on slopes.   (80)
       
80 (79) Receptacle puberulent.   (81)
+ Receptacle glabrous.   (84)
       
81 (80) Lateral lobes of basal leaves pectinately 4- or 5-cleft, lobules sublinear   5 R. rigescens
+ Lateral lobes not pectinate-cleft.   (82)
       
82 (81) Basal leaf blades up to 4 cm wide, base truncate-cuneate or cordate-truncate; central lobe obovate or cuneate, 3-lobed   2 R. trautvetterianus
+ Basal leaf blades up to 1.4--3.3 cm wide, base broadly cuneate or rounded; central lobe linear or oblong-oblanceolate, usually undivided.   (83)
       
83 (82) Basal leaf blades broadly cuneate at base; central lobe linear or oblong, undivided or 1- or 2-lobulate, lateral lobes oblique lanceolate, undivided, or oblique cuneate, 2- or 3-lobulate   46 R. furcatifidus
+ Basal leaf blades rounded at base; central lobe oblong, undivided, lateral lobes ovate, undivided   69 R. dongrergensis
       
84 (80) Petals 6--8, broadly oblong-oblanceolate or narrowly obovate, 6--8   21 R. luoergaiensis
+ Petals usually 5, obovate or elliptic (in R. junipericola sometimes oblong, then petals 5).   (85)
       
85 (84) Leaf blades abaxially densely pubescent   57 R. membranaceus
+ Leaf blades abaxially glabrous or sparsely puberulent.   (86)
       
86 (85) Petals broadly obovate or flabellate-obovate   15 R. chuanchingensis
+ Petals obovate, narrowly obovate, or oblong.   (87)
       
87 (86) Basal leaf blades leathery, base rounded, all lobes undivided, entire   26 R. banguoensis
+ Basal leaf blades papery or herbaceous, all or at least lateral lobes divided.   (88)
       
88 (87) Basal leaf blades 2.1--4.5 cm wide.   (89)
+ Basal leaf blades up to 2.2--2.8 cm wide.   (90)
       
89 (88) Basal leaf blade subpentagonal or rhombic-ovate, base broadly cuneate, lateral lobes unequally 3-partite   41 R. potaninii
+ Basal leaf blade rhombic or cuneate, base cuneate, lateral lobes unequally 2-lobed or undivided   42 R. cangshanicus
       
90 (88) Basal leaf blade with central lobe and lobules of lateral lobes rounded or obtuse, and apiculate at apex   12 R. junipericola
+ Basal leaf blade with lobes and lobules acute or slightly acute, and not apiculate at apex.   (91)
       
91 (90) Basal leaf blade 3-partite slightly beyond middle, lateral lobes oblique cuneate or oblique oblong, unequally 2-lobed or 2-cleft, glabrous or abaxially puberulent, base rounded, broadly cuneate, or subtruncate at base   43 R. popovii
+ Basal leaf blade 3-partite nearly to base, lateral lobes oblique flabellate, unequally 2-partite, puberulent, base cordate-truncate or truncate   45 R. brotherusii
       
92 (78) Petals 8, oblong   22 R. chinghoensis
+ Petals 5 (sometimes 6 in R. petrogeiton, R. songoricus, and R. trautvetterianus).   (93)
       
93 (92) Receptacle glabrous.   (94)
+ Receptacle puberulent.   (101)
       
94 (93) Petals cuneate, oblong, or long elliptic.   (95)
+ Petals obovate or broadly obovate, sometimes oblong-obovate in R. petrogeiton.   (97)
       
95 (94) Stems slender, prostrate, up to 20 cm, glabrous, rooting at nodes   19 R. pegaeus
+ Stems erect, 4.2--5 cm tall, usually puberulent, not rooting.   (96)
       
96 (95) Basal leaf blade puberulent on both surfaces or only adaxially; petals cuneate, apex truncate; ovary longer than style   10 R. minor
+ Basal leaf blade glabrous; petals long elliptic, apex obtuse; ovary shorter than style   18 R. micronivalis
       
97 (94) Basal leaf blades up to 3 cm wide, 3-partite slightly beyond middle, glabrous   11 R. munroanus
+ Basal leaf blades smaller, up to 1.8--2 cm wide, 3-partite nearly to base, often hairy.   (98)
       
98 (97) Basal leaves yellowish strigose   25 R. hirtellus
+ Basal leaves glabrous or white puberulent on one or other surface.   (99)
       
99 (98) Petal apex emarginate   9 R. platypetalus
+ Petal apex not emarginate.   (100)
       
100 (99) Basal leaves leathery, glabrous or adaxially puberulent   16 R. glareosus
+ Basal leaves papery, glabrous or abaxially sparsely puberulent   17 R. petrogeiton
       
101 (93) Plants aquatic.   (102)
+ Plants terrestrial.   (103)
       
102 (101) Basal leaf blade 3-partite; central lobe 3-lobed or undivided, ultimate lobules ovate   82 R. radicans
+ Basal leaf blade 3-sect; central lobe 1 or 2 × dissected, ultimate lobules narrowly ovate to linear-lanceolate   83 R. gmelinii
       
103 (101) Lateral lobes of basal leaf pectinately 4- or 5-cleft, glabrous   5 R. rigescens
+ Lateral lobes of basal leaf not pectinately cleft.   (104)
       
104 (103) Leaf blade leathery; sepals persistent.   (105)
+ Leaf blade papery; sepals deciduous.   (106)
       
105 (104) Receptacle densely yellow puberulent   20 R. glacialiformis
+ Receptacle white puberulent   8 R. balangshanicus
       
106 (104) Basal leaf blade up to 4--4.4 cm wide.   (107)
+ Basal leaf blade up to 2.4 cm wide.   (108)
       
107 (106) Basal leaves cordate at base, 3-partite nearly to base   1 R. songoricus
+ Basal leaves truncate-cordate at base, 3-partite slightly beyond middle   2 R. trautvetterianus
       
108 (106) Petals narrowly obovate or oblong, 1.4--2 mm wide   7 R. yinshanicus
+ Petals obovate or broadly obovate, 4--11 mm wide.   (109)
       
109 (108) Stems 2--12 cm; basal leaves 0.7--1.2 cm wide; petal apex emarginate   9 R. platypetalus
+ Stems 19--24 cm; basal leaves 1.6--2.4 cm wide; petal apex rounded   68 R. menyuanensis

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