Glabrous annual, stem solitary, fistulose, or several short stems branched from near the base, sometimes stem absent, leaves and peduncles arising from base. All leaves similar, petioles of lower most upto 15 cm, decreasing in length towards apex, blade roundish reniform to suborbicular, ternate with perfectly separate segments, deeply 3 lobate or ± regularly coarsely crenate, segments or lobes crenate, sometimes ± profoundly incised. Peduncles axillary, usually 1-3 cm long. Flowers 8-12 mm in diameter, yellow. Sepals reflexed, or ± patent. membranous, ovate, nearly as long as petals or slightly shorter. Petals roundish-obovate, strongly tapering towards base. Achenes 5-6 mm long, ovate, arranged in a large globose head, inserted on a pubescent receptacle, compressed, with a broad sulcate border, beak sides spiny, tubercled or nearly smooth (often in our specimens), beak broadly triangular, flat, usually straight.

Fl. Per.: March-April.

Type: Described from the Mediterranean.

B-7 Swat: Swat, M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 6872 (RAW), Hazara: Siran, Khaki, E. & Y. Nasir 8045 (RAW), Jabori-Maqsooda rd., E. & Y. Nasir 8696 (RAW), C-6 Bannu: Bannu, M.A. Siddiqi & Y. Nasir 3505 (RAW), Peshawar: C-6 Peshawar, Y. Nasir & Khan 9781 (RAW), Dargai, Shaukat Ali 26153 (RAW), C-7 Islamabad & Rawalpindi: Ayub Park, 11.3.1969, Khadija Aziz s.n. (KUH), Attock: Wah, 14.3.1967, Khadlja Aziz s.n. (KUH), D-8 Lahore: Changa Manga, Sultanul Abedin 2636 (KUH), Topi Park, M. Nath 124 (RAW), Sohawa, E. & Y. Nasir 9009 (RAW), Chattar-Broha rd., Y. Nasir & R. Akhtar 1072 (RAW), Kashmir: C-8 Nawal Nadi, E. & Y. Nasir 8763 (RAW), Domel, Jhelum Vy., rd., R.R. Stewart s.n. (RAW), Kotli, Y. Nasir & Z. Ali 531 (RAW), Baluchistan: G-2 S. Makran, Turbat-Palm Garden, Sultanul Abedin & Abrar Husain 6528, 6182, 6102 (KUH, RAW), Panjgur, Sultanul Abedin & Abrar Husain 6731 (RAW), 6672 (RAW), Khuzdar, Sultanul Abedin & Abrar Husain 7194 (KUH).

A morphologically variable species. All types of intermediates from stemless aphyllous plants to those, which are divaricately branched and flowering from near the base and those with erect fistulose stems, flowering only in the upper part are met with. Flowers with reflexed to patent sepals and from petals distinctly longer than the sepals to very short ones are also present. Considering the variability of the species, Ranunculus pseudo-muricatus Blatter & Hallberg is regarded synonymous with Ranunculus muricatus.

Distribution: Atlantic and S. Europe, W. & S. W. Asia, Crimea, Caucasus, S. Siberia, Pakistan, India.

A common weed found in Pakistan from 500-2000 m.