Perennial, with thin fibrous and thick fleshy, cylindrical roots. Stem (5-) 20-30 cm high, densely villous, especially beneath, simple or with a few branches in the upper part. Leaves mostly basal, petiole 6-8 cm long, patent-villous especially in its lower part, with a wide membraneous sheath, blade broadly ovate to roundish, up to 3 (-3.5) cm long, slightly narrower, tripartite nearly to the base, very rarely entire, primary segments entire (especially the lateral ones) more often trifid or pinnately divided (at least the central segment) lobes of the ultimate order 1.5-4 mm wide. Stem leaves sessile, entire, bi-or-tripartite with narrow, linear, obtuse or subacute segments. Flowers 20-25 (-30) mm in diameter, yellow. Sepals 5-10 mm, oblong-ovate, rounded to tru ncate at apex, with a wide membranous, yellowish margin, villous in the central herbaceous part. Petals obovate to ovate-oblong, rounded or tru ncate at apex. Carpels forming an elongated head, inserted in a hairy receptacle. Achenes ± compressed, ovate, hairy. Style long, straight.
Fl. Per.: April-May.
Type: Probably described from Greece.
Chitral: A-7 to Mastuj, 9000', damp places, Stainton 2523 (RAW), B, C-6 Peshawar: Gorak Dagi, nr. Peshawar, M.A. Siddiqi & Hasandin 2648 A (RAW).
Distribution: In the Mediterranean region of Europe, Asia and N. Africa.
The occurrence of Ranunculus chaerophyllos in Pakistan is widely isolated from the general area of distribution and leaves some doubts as regard to taxonomic position of plants from here. The material is not sufficient for any decisions.
