Gmelinii: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 

	aquatic or creeping mud plants, the leaves mostly floating or submersed; NOT [terrestrial plants, mostly with erect stems]
	plants larger, with the stems usually erect; NOT [plants small, rarely more than 5 cm high]
	plants glabrous to subglabrous or puberulent; NOT [plants villose-pubescent, especially the petioles]
	leaves simple; NOT [leaves compound] (BF)
	leaves all, or in part, deeply lobed to compound; NOT [leaves entire or merely toothed] (FOA)
	leaves circular in outline, palmately lobed or dissected, often into linear segments; NOT [leaves reniform, 3-lobed] (FOA)
	basal leaves ovate to rhomboid, reniform, entire to compound; NOT [basal leaves elliptic to linear, not deeply divided] (BF)
	basal leaves lobed almost to the base, or divided; NOT [basal leaves crenate or lobed to almost halfway] (BF)
	stem and inflorescence leaves on well-developed petioles; NOT [stem leaves and leaves in the inflorescence sessile or subsessile]
	stems bearing several leaves and flowers; NOT [stems bearing a single leaf and a single flower]
	flowers terminal or in cymes; NOT [flowers axillary]
	sepals usually 5; NOT [sepals normally 3]
	sepals spreading or curved inward; NOT [sepals reflexed at the middle or base]
	petals yellow; NOT [petals white (sometimes yellowish at base)]
	beak of the achene developed, 0.5-1.0 mm long; NOT [beak of the achene very short, to 0.1 mm long]
	achenes glabrous; NOT [achenes pubescent]

Ranunculus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) 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. Not all the questions apply to all members of the Ranunculaceae family, but they all do apply to this species.

	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]