Perennial, (10-) 15-25 (-40) cm high, never caespitose. Stem single, erect, rarely ascending, simple or branched, striate, retrorsely hairy or glabrescent. Basal leaves with long petiole, blade deepy tripartite, suborbicular in outline the segments obovate, often very broad, sometimes even wider than long, over lapping laterally or not, deeply incised and lobed and irregularly coarsely dentate to crenate-dentate, teeth sharp, triangular or wide, rounded except at the tip, appressed hairy or glabrous. Stem leaves few, either similar to basal ones but sessile, or ternate with ± narrow oblong-oblong-obovate apically toothed segments. Flowers yellow, 8-18 mm in diameter. Sepals 5-7 mm, oblong-elliptic, elliptic or ovate-oblong, obtuse or rounded at apex, densely covered with appressed hairs. Petals obovate to suborbicular, cuneate. Achense 1.2-1.5 mm, arranged in an ovoid head, pubescent, sometimes glabrescent at last, but usually a few hairs remaining, ± inflated. Steyle short, recurved.

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Lectotype: Deobum, Kedarkanta & Lipa in Kunawar, Royle s.n. (LIV).

Gilgit: A-7 Darkot, Bowes Lyon 8141 (RAW), Barum Bar glacier, Bowes Lyon 7764 (RAW), B-7 Hazara: Abbotabad, S.I. Ali 573 (KUH), Shogran, 5.7.1953, Kazmi s.n. (KUH), Mt. Makra, Y. Nasir & E.J. Ecker 7654 (RAW), Kaghan, Kamalbhan, R.R. Stewart 5263 (RAW), Changla Gali, 10.61968, M. A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir s.n. (RAW), Saiful Maluk, Kamal & Shaukat 48,47 (RAW), Rajibhoji, 23.8.1899, Duthie s.n. (RAW), Changla Gali, F. Grohmann 6991 (RAW), Shinkiari, 21.6.1896, Duthie s.n. (RAW), Swat: Utrore, E. Nasir & Z. Ali 4034 (RAW), Kalam, R.R. Stewart 24591 (RAW), id., R.R. Stewart & A. Rahman 25100 (RAW), Kalam-Ushu, J. Lamond 1805 (RAW), Baltistan: B-8 Thalle La, R.R. Stewart 20650,20719 (RAW), Marpo La, Duthie 11804 (RAW), Kashmir: B, C-8 Serimang, A. Rashid, R.R. Stewart & E. Nasir 25549 (RAW), Taulipir, R.R. Stewart et a1 25550 (RAW), Lipa Vy., 30.8.1969, Jars. Mohd. s.n. (RAW), Burzil Pass, R.R. & I.D. Stewart 19097 (RAW). Kishenganga vy., Kazmi 1440 (KUH), C-7 Rawalpindi & Islamabad: Murree, R.R. Stewart 1518 (RAW), Bhurban, Y. Nasir & R. Akhter 10825 (RAW).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Himalaya in N. India.

This species is extremely variable especially in leaf shape and indumentum, and has been considered in broad sense by Hook.f. & Thomson, l.c. and some of the later authors. Caespitose plants with deeply divided leaf-segments and often large flowers which seem to be white in some species at least, mostly belong to Ranunculus glacialiformis Hand. -Man. Caespitose growth habit is never found in Ranunculus hirtellus nor are there any linear-oblong leaf lobes of the last order. The carpels are always hairy at least at some stages of their development, and this is the most important distinguishing character. Very young carpels may still be glabrous, but one will f ind at least a few papillae, which grow out into hairs later on. Mature carpels are sometimes nearly glabrous, but usually at least a few hairs are left.