Ranunculus cymbalaria
 
Seaside Buttercup

Early Achene

Nicolle Flats
09-July-2018

Note the achenes are glabrous.  They usually have longitudinal ribs, but these are not clearly apparent on this achene.

Cymbalaria: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 

plants not aquatic, mud or dryland plants; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged]

plants with stolons or runners

plants creeping; NOT [stems upright]

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

leaves cordate-ovate to reniform; NOT [leaves elliptic to oblanceolate to linear], NOT [leaves finely dissected]

leaves coarsely crenate; NOT [leaves entire]

sepals usually 5; NOT [sepals normally 3]

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

achenes longitudinally ribbed

achenes glabrous; NOT [achenes pubescent]

 

Ranunculus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

plants NOT woody climbers

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

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

flowers regular; NOT [flowers irregular]

sepals NOT spurred

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

petals NOT spurred

carpels 2 or more; NOT [carpel 1]

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

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

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

 

Ranunculaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family. 

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants NOT with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

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

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

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

flowers pedicellate; NOT [flowers sessile, axillary]

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

flowers perfect; NOT [flowers monoecious]

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

petals mostly white or yellow

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

carpels separate; NOT [carpels united]