Littleleaf buttercup

Appearance

Ranunculus abortivus produces erect stems 10 to 60 cm tall. The leaves are variable in shape, and both stems and leaves are hairless. The basal leaves are kidney-shaped to circular and persistent, with scalloped margins, and the stem leaves are alternate and deeply lobed or divided. Those at the bottom have long petioles, those at the top are shorter-stemmed to stemless, with narrow blades or lobes.

Each stem can bear up to 50 flowers. The flower has five petals up to 1.5 to 3.5 mm long, with a ring of stamens around a round cluster of green carpels. The carpels develop into brown, shiny rounded and slightly flattened achenes with a tiny beak.

Naming

The specific epithet ''abortivus'' is an adjective from Latin aborior "pass away". It is unknown what it refers to, but it might describes the small petals that look like they have not fully developed.

Habitat

The flowers produce both nectar and pollen, which is eaten or gathered by small bees, ladybugs, and hoverflies and other kinds of flies. The seeds and leaves are an occasional food source for animals. The seeds are eaten by small rodents, such as the eastern chipmunk and meadow vole.

As in other buttercups, the leaves are mildly toxic, containing a blistering agent, but they are eaten by cottontail rabbits. Both the leaves and seeds are eaten by turkeys.

Uses

The plant had a variety of uses among Native American groups. The Cherokee cooked and ate the leaves. They used it medicinally for abscesses and sore throat and as a sedative. The Iroquois used it for snakebite and poisoning, smallpox, and toothache.