Ranunculus abortivus
 
Smooth-Leaved Buttercup

Upper Stem Leaf Bottom

 Rendick Elm Forest, 15 Miles East of Hudson Bay
12-June-2009

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Abortivus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants NOT aquatic, mud or dryland plants; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves mostly floating or submersed]

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stems upright; NOT [plants creeping]

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plants NOT stoloniferous

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leaves NOT finely dissected

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leaves reniform in outline, more or less cordate at base; NOT [leaves deltoid-ovate in outline, acute to rounded at base]  (BF)

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leaves all, or in part, deeply lobed to compound; NOT [leaves entire or merely toothed] (FOA)

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basal and cauline leaves distinctly unlike, some or all of the basal leaves merely toothed (or entire), most of the cauline deeply cleft and sessile or subsessile; NOT [basal and cauline leaves all deeply incised or divided into distinct segments, the cauline smaller or with few segments, or with shorter petioles]

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basal leaves ovate to rhomboid, reniform, entire to compound; NOT [basal leaves elliptic to linear, not deeply divided] (BF)

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basal leaves crenate or lobed to almost halfway; NOT [basal leaves lobed almost to the base, or divided] (BF)

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basal leaves reniform, sometimes 3-lobed (FOA)

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sepals usually 5; NOT [sepals normally 3]

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petals shorter and narrower than the sepals; NOT [petals longer and wider than the sepals]

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petals 1.5-3 mm long; NOT [petals 3-5 mm long]

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petals yellow; NOT [petals white (sometimes yellowish at base)]

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achenes glabrous; NOT [achenes pubescent]

 

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Ranunculus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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plants NOT woody climbers

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leaves either basal or alternate; NOT [plants with opposite leaves]

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leaves not all basal, stem leaves present; NOT [leaves all basal]

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flowers regular; NOT [flowers irregular]

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sepals NOT spurred

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petals present, mostly yellow; NOT [petals absent, the sepals often colored and petal-like but seldom yellow]

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petals NOT spurred

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carpels 2 or more; NOT [carpel 1]

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ovaries 1-ovuled; NOT [ovaries several-ovuled]

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fruit an achene; NOT [fruit a follicle or berry]

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achenes in globose or cylindrical heads; NOT [achenes in elongate, tapering heads]

 

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Ranunculaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled or basal]

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leaves without stipules, or having glands; NOT [leaves with stipules]

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leaves mostly submerged, small, coarsely to finely dissected; NOT [leaves mostly floating, large, suborbicular or reniform]

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flowers pedicellate; NOT [flowers sessile, axillary]

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

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flowers perfect; NOT [flowers monoecious]

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calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

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petals mostly white or yellow

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stamens usually more than 10; NOT [stamens 10 or fewer]

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carpels separate; NOT [carpels united]