Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Ranunculales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Ranunculus L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Ranunculus crithmifolius Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 6 (1864)
Synonymy:
  • = Ranunculus chordorhizos Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 723 (1867)
Vernacular Name(s):
Scree buttercup
 Description

Glabrous perennial, 5–10 cm tall; rosettes tufted, on stout creeping or ascending rhizomes. Lvs suborbicular, deeply (rarely shallowly) 3-lobed to 2-ternatisect, coriaceous, glaucous, 5–10 cm long; lobes toothed, crenate or dissected into linear obtuse segments, irregularly pitted with shallow brown depressions distinct from the network of grooves over the veins. Scapes 1-flowered, erect at flowering, recurved at fruiting. Fls 3–5 cm diam. Sepals spreading, glabrous. Petals 5–6, yellow, obovate-cuneate; nectaries 1–(3), 1–4 mm from petal base, naked. Receptacle glabrous. Achenes 12–20, subglobose, turgid, glabrous; body 2.5–3 mm long; beak straight or curved, 2.5–3.5 mm long.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Gosden, J.; Courtney, S.P.; Fergus, A.J.; Barkla, J.W.; Beadel, S.M.; Champion, P.D., Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Makan, T.; Michel, P. 2024: Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 43. [Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Naturally uncommon]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Fisher, F.J.F. 1965: The alpine Ranunculi of New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 165: 1–192.
Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1990: Typification of Ranunculus names in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 28: 115–123.
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.
Hooker, J.D. 1867: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's, and Macquarrie's Islands. Part II. Reeve, London.