Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Ranunculales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Ranunculaceae
Genus
Ranunculus L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Ranunculus lyallii Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 4 (1864)
Synonymy:
  • = Ranunculus lyallii var. araneosa Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 722 (1867)
Vernacular Name(s):
Giant buttercup; great mountain buttercup; Mount Cook buttercup; mount cook lily; Mountain lily
 Description

Tufted perennial; rhizome stout. Stems erect, glabrous or sparsely hairy below, 30–120 cm tall. Lvs simple, fleshy, crenate, glabrous or nearly so; basal lvs peltate, orbicular, (5)–10–40 cm diam.; upper lvs truncate or cordate and amplexicaul, smaller than basal. Fls 5–15 per stem, 5–8 cm diam.; pedicels hairy. Sepals spreading, hairy. Petals 10–16, white, cuneate-obovate; nectary single, (1)–2–4 mm from petal base, naked. Receptacle hairy. Achenes very numerous, not flattened, hairy; body 2–3 mm long; beak straight or curved, 3–5 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Oct.–Jan.,; Fruiting: Nov.–Mar.

 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Fisher, F.J.F. 1965: The alpine Ranunculi of New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 165: 1–192.
Garnock-Jones, P.J. 1990: Typification of Ranunculus names in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 28: 115–123.
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.
Hooker, J.D. 1867: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's, and Macquarrie's Islands. Part II. Reeve, London.