The snow is almost gone in the Dallas Barnhartvale Nature Park. The delightful little sagebrush buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus) is now in bloom. It is consistently one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in our low elevation grasslands, sagebrush slopes, and ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir forests. The specific epithet, glaberrimus, means “very smooth” in reference to the shiny, hairless leaves. It is known to be poisonous so parents of grazing toddlers should be aware. The book, Plants of the Southern Interior, notes that the Secwepemc people used it as poison on their … Continue reading →