Ranunculus acris L.

Perennial; roots all fibrous, arising from a stout short rhizome. Stems stout, erect, hairy at least below, (30)–60–100 cm tall. Lvs subcircular to rhomboid, very deeply palmately 5-lobed; lobes pinnatifid with narrowly lanceolate acute segments, hairy; lower lvs 4–12 × 5–15 cm on hairy petioles 10–50 cm long; uppermost lvs becoming sessile, not lobed, entire, linear. Fls numerous per stem, 15–20–(30) mm diam. Pedicels erect, with spreading hairs, terete, 2–6 cm long. Sepals 5, hairy, spreading, 4–5 mm long. Petals 5, yellow, obovate, 10–12 × 8–10 mm; nectary single, c. 1 mm from petal base, covered by a short oblong truncate or retuse scale. Receptacle glabrous. Achenes 30–50, glabrous, strongly flattened, bordered, obovate-deltoid to subcircular; body 2.5–3 × c. 2 mm; face smooth; beak hooked, c. 0.5 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: (Oct.)–Nov.–Apr.; Fruiting: (Nov.)–Dec.–Apr.