Buttercup, Pallas' Buttercup
Ranunculus pallasii
Family: Ranunculaceae
What it is like
A plant that grows in water. It keeps growing from year to year. It has underground stems that are thick and creeping. These send up leafy and flowering shoots. The leaves are dark green and succulent. Some leaves are divided 3 times and others are not. The flowers occur as one or 2 together on a stalk. There are 6-10 white petals. The seeds are in a dry round cluster.
There are about 400 Ranunculus species.
Where it is found
It is a cold temperate plant. It grows in the shallow edges of tundra lakes.
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Arctic, Europe, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The young tender shoots are cooked and eaten. They become tough if cooked too much. It has a peppery flavour and is eaten with seal oil. The young roots are eaten before the leaves develop. Caution: As it has a chemical called anemenol, it needs to be cooked before eating.
Edible parts
Leaves, root, shoots, stems
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Kapukaraat, Kapuukaq