Species

Ranunculus crassipes

Etymology

Ranunculus: From the Latin 'rana' frog, meaning little frog and probably refers to the plants typical marshy habit where frogs abound

Common Name(s)

none known

Current Conservation Status

2009 - At Risk - Naturally Uncommon

Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2012 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2009 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, Paul D. Champion, Shannel P. Courtney, Peter B. Heenan, John W. Barkla, Ewen K. Cameron, David A. Norton and Rodney A. Hitchmough. File size: 792KB

Previous Conservation Status

2004 - Range Restricted

Qualifiers

2009 - RR

Authority

Ranunculus crassipes Hook.f.

Family

Ranunculaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Native

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Synonyms

None - has been included by some authors within Ranunculus biternatus Sm.

Distribution

Indigenous. Macquarie Island. Present also on Heard and Kerguelen Islands

Habitat

Common in bogs and seepages across Macquarie island.

Features

Perennial, glabrous, stoloniferous herb. Leaves including petioles 15-50(-150) mm long; lamina 3-12 mm diameter; dark green to bronze green, lobes acute 2-5-toothed. Flowers solitary; scape short, fleshy and stout. Sepals 5, 4.5-6 mm long. Petals 5-7, 4.5-5.5. mm long, yellow, oblanceolate to obovate-spathulate. Stamens numerous, 1.7-3 mm long. Carpels 12-20, glabrous. Achenes 1.5-1.7 mm long (excluding style), reddish-purple, turgid and smooth.

Similar Taxa

Differs from Ranunculus biternatus Sm., by the typically much thicker ternate or ternatifid rather than biternate or biternatifid leaves.

Flowering

December - March

Flower Colours

Yellow

Fruiting

February - September

Propagation Technique

Unknown from cultivation

Threats

Abundant within its island habitats.

Chromosome No.

2n = 48

Endemic Taxon

No

Endemic Genus

No

Endemic Family

No

Where To Buy

Not commercially available

This page last updated on 31 Jul 2014