# Small-Flowered Buttercup (*ranunculus abortivus*) The Small-Flowered Buttercup is a cheerful little flower that brightens up fields and meadows. Its small yellow blooms are like tiny suns shining in the grass! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Wet meadows, fields, and along stream banks. - **Also known as:** Lesser Buttercup ![Small-Flowered Buttercup](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ranunculus_abortivus_003.jpg&width=800) Photo: Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA NRCS. 1992. Western wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. West Region, Sacramento. Courtesy of USD, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ranunculus_abortivus_003.jpg) ## Appearance The Small-Flowered Buttercup has small, dull yellow to yellowish-green flowers, often with petals so tiny they seem absent. Its basal leaves are rounded or kidney-shaped, distinct from the deeply lobed upper stem leaves. Unlike other buttercups, its flowers lack a glossy sheen. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Ranunculaceae - **Genus:** Ranunculus ## Interesting facts - Despite its common name, some people call it the 'Kidney-Leaf Buttercup' due to its unique leaf shape! - If you crush its leaves, they give off a peppery smell, a hint of its chemical defenses! - Its tiny, pale flowers are often overlooked compared to its showier, golden buttercup cousins! - This plant can spread through both seeds and small plantlets that grow from its roots! ## Special abilities - **Quick Leaf Changer:** Small-Flowered Buttercup can change its leaf shape dramatically as it matures, from rounded to deeply lobed, helping it adapt to light. - **Irritant Defense:** Small-Flowered Buttercup has sap containing protoanemonin that can irritate skin, protecting it from being eaten by animals. - **Cold Resilience:** Small-Flowered Buttercup can survive in cold early spring conditions, allowing it to grow and bloom before many other plants. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring_early_summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Pollinates:** common eastern bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — collects pollen from blooms - **Eaten by:** grey field slug (*Agriolimax reticulatus*) — young leaves are a food source - **Parasitizes:** buttercup rust (*Puccinia ranunculi*) — causes rust disease ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Small-Flowered Buttercup? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Small-Flowered Buttercup? 10-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Small-Flowered Buttercup? 0.5-1 cm ### When does Small-Flowered Buttercup bloom? Spring_early_summer ### Is Small-Flowered Buttercup edible? No ### Is Small-Flowered Buttercup toxic? Mild ### What is Small-Flowered Buttercup's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Small-Flowered Buttercup pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Glen Haven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-haven) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Carrleigh Parkway Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carrleigh-parkway-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Chapline Street Row Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chapline-street-row-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Chester Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chester-center-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Downtown Waterbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-waterbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District [View all places to see Small-Flowered Buttercup](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/small-flowered-buttercup) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Small-Flowered Buttercup: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/small-flowered-buttercup)