Ranunculus occidentalis, the western buttercup,[1] is a species of buttercup found in the western regions of North America. Its distribution extends from Alaska through British Columbia and Alberta to central California.[1] The flower can be seen in open meadows, forests, and other generally flat areas up to an elevation of 2,200 metres (7,200 ft).[2]

Ranunculus occidentalis
R. occidentalis in Anacortes, Washington
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Ranunculaceae
Genus:	Ranunculus
Species:	R. occidentalis
Binomial name
Ranunculus occidentalis Nutt.

Aleut first nations may have used juice from the plant as a poison,[3] its toxicity arising from the substance protoanemonin.[4] Shasta first nations coincided blooming Ranunculus occidentalis with salmon runs in the summer.[5] The seeds were used to make pinole, a staple food.[6]

This plant is similar to, and sometimes difficult to distinguish from, the California buttercup (Ranunculus californicus).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ranunculus occidentalis.

References

External links

• Washington Burke Museum
• Photo gallery

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