Ranunculus simulans
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Yellow
Detailed description
Diminutive, tufted, rosette-forming perennial herb spreading by numerous, slender, trailing and arching stolons; these rooting freely at nodes. Basal leaves 3-10 mm diameter, dark green to bronze-green, suborbicular, shallowly 3-lobed at apex, lobe apices rounded, sometimes bluntly toothed again on lobes, base truncate, glabrous or finely hairy, membranous; cauline leaves similar but smaller, opposite or in lax whorls. Flowers solitary; scapes hairy and short, up to 15 mm long at fruiting. Flowers 3-5 mm diameter. Sepals spreading, sparsely hairy. Petals 0-5, yellow, narrowly obovate; nectary single, 0.5-1.5 mm from petal base, covered by a triangular scale. Receptacle hairy. Achenes 5-15, 1.4-1.9 mm long, dull medium buff to orange, light nut brown or grey brown, elliptic, broadly elliptic or broadly obovate; surface finely though regularly punctate, beak 0.1-0.3 mm long, hooked to dorsal side or reduced to remnant stub.
Similar taxa
Distinguished from all other New Zealand indigenous and naturalised Ranunculus spp., by the small size, slender, arching and/or trailing stolons which root freely at the nodes, and leaves 3-10 mm diameter, with the flowers 3-5 mm diameter. Morphologically it is perhaps closest to R. cheesemanii Kirk but that species has leaves 7-35 mm diameter with 3-5 blunt teeth or that are shallowly blunt with entire lobes, flowers 6-10mm diameter with fugaceous petals and achenes between 2-2.5 mm long.
Distribution
Endemic. North and South Islands. In the North Island known from Mt Taranaki, Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges. In the South Island recorded from north-west Nelson and Fiordland
Habitat
Lowland to alpine (0-1200 m a.s.l.), in damp seepages and pools within forest, along stream banks and in seepages and flushes in subalpine scrub and herbfield.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: Sp
Threats
Currently believed to be a very uncommon, widely distributed and biologically sparse species. It is very easily overlooked. There is as yet no clear evidence of any past or ongoing declines of this species within its known range.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Ranunculus depressus var. stewartiae G.Simpson et J.S.Thomson
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - January
Fruiting
January - April
Propagation technique
Unknown. Probably easily grown but likely to require pot culture to prevent it being over taken by taller plants and weeds within a garden environment.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
FAC: Facultative
Commonly occurs as either a hydrophyte or non-hydrophyte (non-wetlands).
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
ranunculus: From the Latin ‘rana’ frog, meaning little frog and probably refers to the plants typical marshy habit where frogs abound
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.
RANSIM
Chromosome number
2n = 32
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: Sp
2012 | Data Deficient | Qualifiers: Sp
2009 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon
2004 | Sparse
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Webb, C.J.; Sykes, W.R.; Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1988: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. IV. Christchurch, DSIR Botany Division.
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange (30 August 2003). Description based on Webb et al. (1988) and fresh specimens
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Ranunculus simulans Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/ranunculus-simulans/ (Date website was queried)