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Ranunculus populago

Greene

Mountain Buttercup

G3Vulnerable (G3G4) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.159021
Element CodePDRAN0L260
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRanunculales
FamilyRanunculaceae
GenusRanunculus
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-02-10
Change Date2025-02-10
Edition Date2025-02-10
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2025).
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus populago) occurs in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It occurs in western Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. It is estimated that there are between 21 and 80 occurrences rangewide, including within Lassen Volcanic National Park, and on various National Forests. It occurs in wetlands, residential development and certain water management practices are threats.
Range Extent Comments
Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus populago) occurs in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It occurs in western Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Range extent was estimated to be 392000 square kilometers, using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (CCH2 2025, FNA 1997, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, Jepson Flora Project 2025, MNHP 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are between 21 and 80 occurrences rangewide (CCH2 2025,GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus populago) occurs in wetlands, residential development and certain water management practices are threats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is found in wet ground and meadows, shallow water, streams, lakes, and bogs, at montane and subalpine elevations ranging from 1300 to 2000 meters (FNA 1997, MNHP 2025, Whittemore 2020).

Reproduction

Mountain Buttercup (Ranunculus populago) flowers from April to August (FNA 1997).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoSNRYes
MontanaS3Yes
OregonSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
WashingtonS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentRestricted - smallSerious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasRestricted - smallSerious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/useRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wenatchee CreekUmatilla National Forest15,315
References (11)
  1. CCH2 Portal. 2025. Consortium of California Herbaria. Online. Available: https//:www.cch2.org/portal/index.php (Accessed 2025).
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1997. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 3. Magnoliophyta: Magnoliidae and Hamamelidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 590 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  7. Montana Natural Heritage Program (MNHP). 2025. Mountain Buttercup — <i>Ranunculus populago</i>. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Online. Available: https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PDRAN0L260 (Accessed February 10, 2025)
  8. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  10. Thorp, R.W., D.S. Horning, and L.L. Dunning. 1983. Bumble bees and cuckoo bumble bees of California (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Bulletin of the California Insect Survey 23:1-79.
  11. Whittemore, A.T. 2020. Flora of North America. <i>Ranunculus populago</i>. Accessed: September 26, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Ranunculus_populago