Stems erect to reclining, 1-3 mm thick, hirsute or sometimes glabrous. Basal leaf blades 3-parted, ultimate segments narrowly elliptic, margins entire or dentate. Flowers: sepals 5, 4-6 mm; petals 5-6, 6-10 × 3-5 mm. Achenes 3.4-4.8 × 2.6-3.2 mm, glabrous; beak lanceolate, straight, 1.6-2.2 mm.

Flowering spring-summer (Apr-Jul). Meadows; 900-1400 m; Calif., Oreg.

Ranunculus occidentalis var. howellii , R . occidentalis var. dissectus , and R . austro-oreganus form a distinctive group distinguishable in the R . occidentalis complex by the straight achene beak. They may be difficult to separate, however; further study of their relationships is needed.