Ranunculus flabellaris
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Ranunculus flabellaris is a plant, a species of buttercup
known by the common name yellow water buttercup. It is native to much of North America, including the southern half of Canada and most of the United States. It is aquatic
or semi-aquatic, growing in water or in or near muddy areas in many habitat types. It is a perennial herb that produces stems up to about 70 centimeters long that float in water or spread along wet ground, sometimes rooting where they come in contact with moist substrate. Leaves are variable in morphology
; as in many types of aquatic plants, leaves that develop submerged in water look different from those that develop in air. This phenomenon, heterophylly, has been studied extensively in this species, and leaf morphology has been shown to be influenced by many environmental factors, including temperature and the concentration of abscisic acid
. A number of other factors affect leaf shape in heterophyllous plants. In this species, leaves that develop in the open air have somewhat rounded blades that are divided into a number of short, blunt, wide lobes. Leaves that develop underwater have narrow, even threadlike lobes. The inflorescence
is made up of one or more flowers with five to fourteen, but generally no more than eight, shiny yellow petals. The petals, each up to 1.3 centimeters in length are arranged around a central nectary with many stamen
s and pistils
. The fruit is an achene
borne in a dense cluster.
Ranunculus flabellaris is a plant, a species of buttercup
Ranunculus
Ranunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine....
known by the common name yellow water buttercup. It is native to much of North America, including the southern half of Canada and most of the United States. It is aquatic
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
or semi-aquatic, growing in water or in or near muddy areas in many habitat types. It is a perennial herb that produces stems up to about 70 centimeters long that float in water or spread along wet ground, sometimes rooting where they come in contact with moist substrate. Leaves are variable in morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
; as in many types of aquatic plants, leaves that develop submerged in water look different from those that develop in air. This phenomenon, heterophylly, has been studied extensively in this species, and leaf morphology has been shown to be influenced by many environmental factors, including temperature and the concentration of abscisic acid
Abscisic acid
Abscisic acid , also known as abscisin II and dormin, is a plant hormone. ABA functions in many plant developmental processes, including bud dormancy. It is degraded by the enzyme -abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase.-Function:...
. A number of other factors affect leaf shape in heterophyllous plants. In this species, leaves that develop in the open air have somewhat rounded blades that are divided into a number of short, blunt, wide lobes. Leaves that develop underwater have narrow, even threadlike lobes. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is made up of one or more flowers with five to fourteen, but generally no more than eight, shiny yellow petals. The petals, each up to 1.3 centimeters in length are arranged around a central nectary with many stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s and pistils
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
. The fruit is an achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
borne in a dense cluster.