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    Because of the shape of Ranunculus flowers, bees do not pollinate them very well, but the bees do leave an abundance of pollen on the glossy petals.  Dew and rain slide off the slick, shiny surface carrying the pollen to the stigmas below to fertilize them. Very clever.  

    The species of Ranunculus that grow in the Four Corners area are a bit difficult to tell apart; look first at the leaf shape and the height of the plant.  Flower size, color, and shape are very similar and are difficult to use in distinguishing among species.

    The Ranunculaceae name is ancient and probably is derived from the Latin "rana", meaning "frog" or "tadpole".  Most likely the name was applied because frogs and some Ranunculaceae prefer the same moist habitat -- or the name might refer to some long forgotten perceived relationship in size, shape, smell, etc. Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.

 

 Ranunculus inamoenus (Buttercup)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Cross Mountain Trail, June 13, 2006.

"Inamoenus" is Latin for "not pleasant," "not attractive", "drab".  Why Edwin Greene, who named the plant in 1896, thought this an appropriate name for this common and dainty plant, no one seems to know.  

See R. eschscholtzii for a comparison of the characteristics of these two similar Ranunculus species.  The main characteristic that separates the fully grown plants is their size; R. inamoenus grows two or three times as tall as R. eschscholtzii.  When they are young, they are very similar looking.
Ranunculus inamoenus (Buttercup)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork, June 29, 2006.
Ranunculus inamoenus (Buttercup)
Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands, meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork, June 29, 2006.

The tiny yellow flowers ripen into exotic seed pods.  The petals of R. inamoenus are about half the width of the petals of R. eschscholtzii and do not overlap each other.