Stems erect, never rooting nodally, hirsute, base bulbous, cormlike. Roots never tuberous. Basal leaf blades broadly cordate in outline, 3-cleft or -parted, 2-7.5 × 3-11.6 cm, segments undivided or shallowly 1-2-cleft, ultimate segments rhombic, margins crenate-toothed, apex acute or obtuse. Flowers: receptacle hispid; sepals reflexed from near base, 3-6 × 1.5-2.5 mm, pilose; petals 5, yellow, 3-5 × 1-2 mm. Heads of achenes globose, 5-6 mm wide; achenes 1.6-2.2 × 1.4-1.8 mm, glabrous, margin forming narrow rib 0.1-0.2 mm wide; beak persistent, lanceolate, curved, hooked, 1-1.4 mm. 2 n = 32.

Flowering spring (Apr-Jun). Mesic woods, stream banks, and swamps; 0-1200 m; N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

The Cherokee used Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus as a sedative, a dermatological aid, and an oral aid; the Iroquois, as a laxative, a venereal aid, and a toothache remedy (D. E. Moerman 1986).

From Flora of Indiana (1940) by Charles C. Deam

Infrequent to frequent or even common in moist, rich woods throughout the state.

……

Indiana Coefficient of Conservatism: C = 5

Wetland Indicator Status: FACW