Ranunculus hydrocharoides
Encyclopedia
Ranunculus hydrocharoides is a species of buttercup
known by the common name frogbit buttercup, or frog's bit butterup. It is native to western North America, including the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is also known from Guatemala
. It is aquatic
or semi-aquatic, growing floating in water or in wet land near water. Typical habitat includes marsh
es, streams, and lakes. Stems are up to 25 centimeters long, prostrate on the ground when terrestrial, or floating when aquatic. The shiny green leaves have heart-shaped or oval blades up to 3 centimeters long which are borne on petioles
which may be 15 centimeters in length. Flowers have 5 to 8 shiny yellow petals a few millimeters long with many stamen
s and pistils
at the center. The fruit is an achene
borne in a spherical cluster of 9 or more.
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 frogbit buttercup, or frog's bit butterup. It is native to western North America, including the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is also known from Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. 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 floating in water or in wet land near water. Typical habitat includes marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, streams, and lakes. Stems are up to 25 centimeters long, prostrate on the ground when terrestrial, or floating when aquatic. The shiny green leaves have heart-shaped or oval blades up to 3 centimeters long which are borne on petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
which may be 15 centimeters in length. Flowers have 5 to 8 shiny yellow petals a few millimeters long 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...
at the center. 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 spherical cluster of 9 or more.