Flower:

Flowers are at the end of stalks that arise from the upper leaf axils. Flowers are ¼ to ½ inch across, 5 narrowly triangular to oblong, pale yellow petals and about 20 yellow-tipped stamens surrounding a bright green center. The 5 yellowish-green sepals are about as long as the petals, or a little longer, and typically bend back away from the flower (reflexed).

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are basal and alternate, up to 4 inches long and 3 inches wide, lobed or deeply divided into 3 or 5 parts, with long leaf stalks that become shorter as leaves ascend the stem. The lobes are coarsely toothed toward the tip end and may be further divided with more shallow lobes. Stems and leaf stalks are both hairy, and the leaves may also have scattered hairs on the surfaces, and fine hairs along the edges. Stems are erect, branched, and do not root at the nodes.

Fruit:

The flower center expands into a round seed head about ¼ inch in diameter. Seeds are smooth with a hook at the tip of the beak, which is where the common name originates.

Notes:

The flowers of Hooked Buttercup are unique enough to distinguish it from other Ranunculus species with small yellow flowers. There are two varieties but one is limited to tropical climates, leaving var. recurvatus inhabiting Minnesota and much of the eastern half of North America