Ranunculus occidentalis (Western Buttercup)

So for those who, like me, may (or may not) be puzzled by the fact that R. occidentalis should by all accounts be out of its range here in SW Riverside County, check out Tom Chester's explication of Ranunculus on the Santa Rosa Plateau http://tchester.org/srp/plants/species/ranunculus.html 

3/24/19 Trans Preserve Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 

Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA 

3/24/19 Trans Preserve Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 

Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

4/17/05 Trans Preserve Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, 

Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA 

4/17/05 Da Bee is Da Bomb.
Trans Preserve Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

3/9/08 Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

3/9/08 Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

3/10/01 Vernal Pool Trail, Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

4/8/00 Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve

LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Western Buttercup

SPECIES: Ranunculus occidentalis

FAMILY: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

LIFE LIST DATE: 4/8/2000

LOCATION: Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, Murrieta, SW Riverside County, CA

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Treatment from The Jepson Manual (1993):

Perennial 10–60 cm

Stem generally erect, few-branched, generally hairy

Leaves generally soft-hairy; basal and lower cauline petioles 2–11 cm, blades 1.5–6 cm, ovate to cordate, generally deeply 3-lobed, lobes toothed to deeply cut; upper cauline leaves smaller

Flower: receptacle glabrous; sepals 3–8 mm, hairs short; petals generally 5–6, 4–15 mm, 2–8 mm wide

Fruits 10–22; cluster spheric; body 2–4 mm, sides 1.5–3.5 mm wide, smooth, sparsely puberulent or glabrous, back keeled; beak generally 1.5–2.5 mm, curved or ± straight

Ecology: Meadows, flats, open woodland or forest

Elevation: 100–2200 m.  

Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province (except Great Central Valley, Southwestern California) 

Distribution outside California: to Alaska

Horticultural information: DRN: 4, 5, 6, 17 &partSHD: 7, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24 &IRR: 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21; dry in summer.