Ranunculaceae

R. dissectus Bieb., Fl. Taur.-Cauc. 2: 25 (1808).
Perennial, 5-20 cm, glabrous, pilose or villosulous. Rhizome oblique; collar strongly fibrous. Stem 1-3-flowered, erect or sometimes procumbent. Radical leaves trisect to subpinnatisect, central segment sessile or long-stalked; lamina round to broadly ovate, segments deeply dissected into toothed or entire laciniae of variable form. Upper leaves 1-3-sect into linear laciniae. Sepals spreading. Petals 8-18 mm. Achenes obovate-semicircular, 2-3 mm, compressed, glabrous, without a conspicuous nerve parallel to the margin; beak uncinate or circinate, 0.5-0.75 mm.
A very polymorphic, dwarf, few-flowered species, allied to R. caucasicus and R. fenzlii, but differing (among other characters) in having achenes without a prominent nerve parallel to the adaxial margin. Subsp. dissectus is confined to mountain Crimea, but 5 other subspecies can be recognised in Anatolia where the complex has its centre in the North-East.*
1. Flowers large, usually 3-3.5 cm across. (Leaves suborbicular in outline; laciniae oblong-linear (sometimes cuneate-oblong) with short lateral teeth, densely adpressed-pilose, rarely glabrescent. Stems erect, sturdy, 10-25 cm, often 1.5 mm thick) subsp. napellifolius
1. Flowers smaller, less than 3 cm across
  2. Laciniae cuneate-oblong and mostly tridentate at apex; leaves usually sub-orbicular in outline, villosulous like the stems. (Flowers 15-20 (often 20) mm across. Stems sturdy) subsp. huetii
  2. Laciniae lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, entire or with one or more slender lateral teeth; leaves ovate or suborbicular in outline, glabrous or subpilose
   3. Laciniae linear or linear-lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm broad, subentire, glabrous, very numerous; lamina ovate-orbicular, 2-3 cm long; sepals glabrescent. (Flowers 15-20 cm across. Plant very slender) subsp. rigidulus
   3. Laciniae lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, mostly 1.5-2 mm broad, often with one or more lateral teeth, glabrous or subpilose; sepals hairy
    4. Lamina 3-5 cm long, ovate in outline; laciniae 3-15 mm long; stem sturdy (1.5 mm thick), procumbent-ascending and 2-3-flowered; rootstock thick (often 1 cm broad); flowers usually 20-27 cm across . subsp. glabrescens
    4. Lamina 1-3 cm long, suborbicular or ovate in outline, laciniae or teeth 3-8 mm long; stem slender (scarcely 1 mm thick), erect, 1-2-flowered; rootstock slender, usually less than 5 mm broad; flowers 15-20(-25) mm across subsp. sibthorpii
subsp. huetii (Boiss.) Davis in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 23: 137 (1960). Figure 4, p. 157. Syn: R. huetii Boiss., Diagn. ser 2(5): 7 (1856)! R. bourgaei Boiss., Fl. Or. 1: 43 (1867) p.p.! R. huetii var. lazicus Boiss., Fl. Or. Suppl. 11 (1888)! Fl. 5-8. Alpine pastures, 2000-3450 m.
Type: [Turkey A8] in pratis as Tachkopru inter Baiburt et Erzerum, Huet (K!).
Lazistan, Kurdistan, Cappadocia. A7 Giresun: Yedigözü Y., Asarcik to Tamdere, 2120-2200 m, Hub.-Mor. 13088! Trabzon: Zigana Da., 2000 m, Balls 1690a! Gümüşane: Gümüşane, Bourgeau p.p. (type of R. bourgaei)! A8 Gümü-şane: Kara Kaya Da. N. of Bayburt, Balls 1837! Rize: nr. Cimil, 2800 m, viii 1866, BaI.! B6 Sivas: Yildiz Da., 2500 m, Bornm. 1890: 1662. B9 Van: Artos Da. above Gevaş, 3450 m, D. 22868! Ispiriz Da. above Başkale, 3400 m, D. 23687 (supinnatisect form with broad laciniae)!
Endemic ? Subsp. huetii may be considered as occupying a central position in the R. dissectus complex, being linked by intermediate specimens to subsp. sibthorpii, glabrescens and napellifolius.