Ranunculus victoriensis
B.G.BriggsPerennial with fibrous roots. Leaves mostly tufted at base; petioles c. 5–15 cm long, densely covered with fine appressed hairs; lamina ovate to obtrullate in outline, 12–50 mm long, moderately to densely covered with appressed or semi-appressed hairs on both surfaces, 3-lobed to trifoliolate, rarely subentire, the segments toothed or further lobed, usually directed forwards, ultimate segments lanceolate. Flowering stems erect, exceeding leaves, to c. 30 cm high, densely covered with short appressed hairs, 1-flowered; sepals 5, spreading, ovate to elliptic, c. 5–7 mm long, hairy on back; petals 5, obovate-cuneate, 8–14 mm long, 6–8 mm wide, yellow, glossy; nectary lobe oblong to ovate, sometimes emarginate, free for the greater part, c. 1 mm long overall; stamens c. 30–70. Achenes usually 30–60, obliquely obovate, lenticular, 2.5–3.5 mm long, smooth on sides; beak weakly to strongly curved, c. 1 mm long; receptacle hispid between achenes, glabrous or nearly so in the staminal zone. Flowers Nov.–Jan.
HNF, VAlp. Endemic in Victoria. Largely confined to damp grassland and open heaths on the Bogong High Plains where common, apparently rare on the Nunniong Plateau, Dargo High Plains and plains between Mts Howitt and Wellington.
Briggs (1960) regards R. victoriensis as a stabilized hybrid between R. eichlerianus and R. muelleri, both species of more restricted occurrence in Victoria than R. victoriensis. Plants of R. victoriensis, however, seem morphologically much closer to R. eichlerianus, some specimens appearing to be quite intermediate between the two species.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Ranunculaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 35–63. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning