Phil Bendle Collection:Ranunculus nivicola (Mountain buttercup)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Ranunculus
Species: R. nivicola
Scientific name: Ranunculus nivicola
Synonymy: Ranunculus reticulatus
Common names: Mountain buttercup, Snow buttercup, Mount Egmont buttercup, Egmont buttercup,

Ranunculus nivicola is an erect perennial native plant endemic to Raukumara Range, Kaweka, Kaimanawa, Central Volcanic Plateau and Mt Egmont/Taranaki of the North Island of New Zealand. It grows at altitudes of 1200-1900m on scoria, in areas of subalpine scrub and fellfields.
It has 5-15 cm wide leaves on hairy petioles that are up to 10-20 cm long. The leaves are deeply lobed with reticulate veins. From February through to May it develops large golden yellow buttercup-like flowers (3-5 cm across) on branches that can be up to 80cm tall. Seeds appear from November to January.

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Photographed at Otari Wilton Gardens, Wellington
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[4]

Photographed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.  The flower has just lost its petals late January.
 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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