California Buttercup
Ranunculus californicus
The California Buttercup brightens its surroundings with glossy, bright yellow flowers. Sprouting from the base are a few long, slender stems, topped by attractive golden flowers. The flowers are ¾ inches in diameter and have 9-17 petals. The dark green leaves which surround the base are divided into three deep lobes with toothed margins.
Basic Information
Member of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae
There are two recognized varieties of California Buttercup:
var. californicus — widespread
var. cuneatus — primarily on the north-central coast
These two varieties are distinguished by their stem length, with var. californicus having the longer stem
Perennial herb
Summer deciduous — plant dies back during the summer
Habitat
Native to western most of California, excluding the deserts, Baja California, Oregon, and some Pacific coast islands
Common to a variety of ecosystems, including grasslands, woodlands, coastal bluffs, chaparral, and moist meadows
Ecological Role
Supports a variety of small insects and native bees that are attracted to the flowers
The glossy-yellow petals of Ranunculus consist of 3 layers: a yellow pigment layer, an air layer, and a starch layer which together produce a reflective flash which may lure in pollinators
Reproduction
Blooms from February - April
Alternative Names
Common Buttercup
Historical Uses
Native people collected the seeds for pinole, a mixed flour made from the ground, toasted seeds of wildflowers and grasses
Pinole was eaten dry or moistened and shaped into balls or cakes
