Texas Wildbuds

Ranunculus muricatus

(Spiny-fruit Buttercup)

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4663

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4684

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4667

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4685

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4668

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4673

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Ranunculus muricatus, Bonham State Park, Fannin Co. 4677

Scientific Name Ranunculus muricatus USDA PLANTS Symbol RAMU2
Common Name Spiny-fruit Buttercup ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 18629
Family Ranunculaceae (Buttercup) SEINet
Reference		 Click Here
Description Habitat: Wet soils on grassy banks, along roadsides, in ditches, creeks and next to ponds.
Plant: Annual (or perennial) with erect or reclining, branching stems 8 to 20 inches long, smooth or sparsely hairy.
Leaves: Basal and stem leaf blades are broadly cordate to reniform or semicircular, undivided with jagged edges or with 3 wedge-shaped lobes; overall 0.8 to 2 inches long and 1.2 to 2.4 inches wide; lobes often with ~3 sub-lobes or rounded teeth; hairless to hairy surfaces; on petioles 1.6 to 6 inches long.
Inflorescence: Small bright-yellow, cup-shaped flowers single on pedicels; 5/8-inch or less across, with 5 petals ~10 stamens and 10 to 25 green pistils (carpels) in the center; 5 pale green, speading sepals, shorter than petals.
Fruit: Flattened achenes 10 to 20 per head, each 0.2-inch long with short, stout translucent spines on the faces and a beaked tip.
Bloom Period: March to May.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, Vascular Plants of Williamson County by A.C.Gibson, Wikipedia and University of Washington Burke Herbarium		 BONAP Distribution Map

Map Color Key		 Texas Status:
Native
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Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2026

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