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Ranunculus allegheniensis

Britt.

Allegheny Mountains Crowfoot

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.134016
Element CodePDRAN0L060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRanunculales
FamilyRanunculaceae
GenusRanunculus
Other Common Names
Allegheny Mountain Buttercup (EN) Allegheny Mountain buttercup (EN)
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 Date2024-04-15
Change Date2024-04-15
Edition Date2024-04-15
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2024).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Allegheny Mountains Crowfoot (Ranunculus allegheniensis) occurs in the eastern United States, it is endemic to the Appalachian Mountains from Massachusetts to Ohio, Tennessee and South Carolina. It is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide, it is considered to be common in the Mountains of southeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is likely threatened by invasive plants, particularly Alliaria petiolata, and is probably not threatened by deer browse.
Range Extent Comments
Allegheny Mountains Crowfoot (Ranunculus allegheniensis) occurs in the eastern United States, it is endemic to the Appalachian Mountains from Massachusetts to Ohio, Tennessee and South Carolina. Range extent was estimated to be 390,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1983 and 2024 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1997, GBIF 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024). It is considered to be common in the Mountains of southeastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia (Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Allegheny Mountains Crowfoot (Ranunculus allegheniensis) is likely threatened by invasive plants, particularly Alliaria petiolata. It is probably not threatened by deer browse (Dodds 2023).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

In a variety of forests, especially cove forests, and rich forested slopes, sometimes in drier forests on calcareous or mafic substrates, at elevations of 0 - 1100 meters, it has also been reported to be in pastures (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1997, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).

Reproduction

Allegheny Mountains Crowfoot (Ranunculus allegheniensis) flowers between April and June, and fruits may be present into July. It is likely to be pollinated by insects, but has also been found (with hand pollination) to be self-fertile, seeds have hooked tips and are likely dispersed by mammals, and consumed and dispersed by birds (Dodds 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodWoodland - Hardwood
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
TennesseeS1Yes
New YorkS4Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
ConnecticutSUYes
VirginiaS4Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
KentuckyS3Yes
South CarolinaSNRYes
MassachusettsS2Yes
VermontS2Yes
North CarolinaS2Yes
OhioSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
MarylandS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL, PERENNIAL, Short-lived
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
References (8)
  1. Dodds, J.S. 2023. <i>Ranunculus allegheniensis</i> Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, State Forest Fire Service & Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 15 pp. [https://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/ranunculus-allegheniensis-allegheny-mountain-buttercup.pdf]
  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). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  4. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  5. 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.
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  8. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.