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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333441
Title: Ranunculaceae

Author
item HEIL, KENNETH - San Juan College
item Whittemore, Alan

Submitted to: Flora of New Mexico
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/4/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: This contribution will form a section of The Flora of New Mexico, a floristic manual that provides up-to-date information on the taxonomy, distribution, and ecological status of all plants that grow outside of cultivation (either wild or escaped from cultivation) in the state of New Mexico, together with a guide for identification, aimed at professional and sophisticated amateur users. The taxonomy, distribution, and ecological status of all species of Ranunculaceae that occur outside cultivation in this area is reevaluated, based on fieldwork and re-evaluation of available herbarium specimens, and a guide for identification is supplied. Sixty species in fifteen genera are known from the state. Four of these are invasive species introduced from Eurasia, the other 56 are native to the area. Several of the genera (Aquilegia, Clematis, Anemone, Ranunculus) are important for ornamental horticulture in the United States. This contribution provides up-to-date information on the biology of this group of species, along with identification aids. It will support accurate identification and classification of species of this family. It will be used by professional land managers, educators, conservationists, and sophisticated amateur botanists and horticulturalists, promoting the use of native germplasm with considerable horticultural potential and insuring that work on land management and conservation will be based on full, accurate and up-to-date information about the basic biology and relationships of these organisms.

Technical Abstract: The family Ranunculaceae is treated for The Flora of New Mexico, a floristic manual covering the state of New Mexico. Sixty species in fifteen genera are known from the state; full morphological descriptions, dichotomous keys, and brief summaries of geographical and ecological distribution, economic use, and taxonomic notes are given for each of them. Four of these are invasive species introduced from Eurasia, while the other 56 are native to the area. Several of the genera are important for ornamental horticulture in the United States. This contribution will promote the recognition and exploitation of native germplasm with considerable horticultural potential, and ensure that work on land management and monitoring of exotic species outside of cultivation will be based on accurate identification and classification of these plants.