Stems erect or reclining, never rooting nodally, hispid or glabrous, base not bulbous. Roots never tuberous. Basal leaf blades broadly triangular to cordate in outline, 3-foliolate, 6-13 × 8-16 cm, leaflets lobed, margins toothed, ultimate segments elliptic to lance-elliptic or oblong, margins toothed, apex acute or obtuse. Flowers: receptacle hispid; sepals reflexed 1-2 mm above base, 6-9 × 3-4 mm, sparsely hispid; petals 5, abaxially yellow or purplish, adaxially yellow, 9-11 × 6-8 mm. Heads of achenes ovoid to globose, 9-11 × 8-11 mm; achenes 3.2-3.8 × 2-3 mm, glabrous, margin forming narrow rib 0.1-0.2 mm wide; beak persistent, lanceolate or subulate from triangular base, straight or tip weakly hooked, 1-1.8 mm.

Flowering summer (Jul). Along streams and in meadows; 0 m; Alaska.

Ranunculus pacificus is endemic to the Alaska panhandle.