Angiosperms: Dicotyledons

Ranunculaceae
Buttercup Family

• Stem: perennial; basal leaves and a flower stalk with one pair of sessile leaves; densely long-hairy.
• Leaves: basal with leaf stalks up to 6”; blades deeply lobed into three linear segments each again with three lobes; blades 3 1/2” by 2 1/2”; stem leaves sessile, smaller, but with similar lobing; very hairy above and below.
• Inflorescence: flower stalk 4” to 6” long, with a single flower; very hairy.
• Flowers: sepals petal-like, blue or purple (sometimes almost white), 1/2” to 1” long (no petals); many yellow stamens; flowering from mid-April to mid-May.
• Fruits: one-seeded, 1/16” long with the elongate, hairy styles attached; styles to 1 1/4” long; mature fruits make a hairy ball 2 1/2” in diameter at top of flower stalk; fruiting begins in early May, and fruits begin to fall in late May.
• Habitat: infrequent on dry, rocky prairies and in woodland openings.
• Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library