Ranunculus mirus
Synonyms
None (first described in 1987)
Family
Ranunculaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
RANMIR
Chromosome number
2n = 48
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS). This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley.
2012 | Not Threatened
Previous conservation statuses
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Range Restricted
Distribution
Endemic. South Island, north-west Nelson where it found in the Kahurangi National Park on the Peel Range and Mt Arthur south to the Wangapeka Range.
Habitat
Alpine (1200-1500 m a.s.l.). A karst endemic of marble and limestone soils and karrenfield. usually found growing in amongst short grasses and herbfield.
Features
Perennial herb. Rosettes small, tufed. Rhizomes absent. Rosette leaves on long hairy petioles (hairs subappressed); lamina bright green to dark green, deeply 3-ternate, densely covered in subappressed hairs; leaflets stalked, obovate, shallowly to deeply 3-lobed, toothed, 7-15 x 10-18 mm. Cauline leaves leaves 1-3, small, sessile or shortly petiolate, lanceolate-entire or obovate-trifid. Flowers 18-25 mm diameter, solitary or 2-3-flowered; pedicels covered with subappressed hairs. Sepals spreading, hispid. Petals 5, 1.6-2(-3) mm long, bright yellow, obovate; nectary 1mm from petal base, single, covered by a small narrow-oblong scale. receptacle hairy. Achenes 15-20 in globose heads, dar brown to dark brownish-purple, flattened, glabrous or with a few sparse bristles; body 2.5-3 x 2-2.5 mm; beak 1-1.5 mm long, curved with hooked apex.
Similar taxa
Allied to Ranunculus reflexus Garn.-Jones and potentially easily confused with R. foliosus Kirk. From R. reflexus it differs its appressed stem, petiole and leaf hairs, ternate to ternatifid leaves, spreading sepals and fewer (15-30 cf. 40-100), larger, darker achenes (which sometimes bear 1-2 bristles), and by its 1-1.5 rather than 0.7-1 mm long achene beak. From R. foliosus it differs by its appressed rather than spreading stem, petiole and leaf hairs, and by its long (1-1.5 cf. 0.5-1 mm) beaked achenes.
Flowering
November - February
Flower colours
Yellow
Fruiting
December - April
Propagation technique
Probably quite easily grown. However, most alpine buttercups are prone to powdery mildew infections at low altitudes and dislike humidity.
Threats
A narrow range endemic. Plants are believed to be secure within their alpine habitat.
Etymology
ranunculus: From the Latin ‘rana’ frog, meaning little frog and probably refers to the plants typical marshy habit where frogs abound
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Ranunculus mirus Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/ranunculus-mirus/ (Date website was queried)