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English cinquefoil, potentille d'angleterre, trailing cinquefoil, trailing tormentil, wood cinquefoil

dwarf cinquefoil

Stems

soon becoming prostrate, ± flagelliform, usually openly branched, eventually rooting at some nodes, (0.3–)1.5–7+ dm.

initially ascending to erect, soon becoming prostrate, flagelliform, not branched, eventually rooting at some nodes, (0.3–)0.5–12 dm.

Basal leaves

± persistent, ternate or palmate, 2–10(–12) cm;

petiole 1–7(–8) cm, long hairs sparse to abundant, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, stiff, glands absent;

leaflets 3–5, central ± obovate to cuneate, 1–3(–3.5) × 0.8–2(–2.5) cm, distal ± 1/2 of margin incised 1/4–1/3(–1/2) to midvein, teeth 2–4 per side, surfaces similar, green, sparsely to moderately hairy.

± persistent, usually palmate, 2–9(–11) cm;

petiole 1–7(–8) cm, long hairs abundant to dense, appressed to spreading, 1.5–3 mm, mostly ± weak, glands absent or sparse;

leaflets (3–)5(–7), central mostly ± obovate to cuneate, sometimes narrowly so, (0.5–)1–4(–6) × (0.5–)0.8–2(–3) cm, distal 1/2 of margin incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–7 per side, surfaces similar to ± dissimilar, abaxial green to silvery white, sparsely to densely hairy, adaxial green, sparsely to moderately hairy.

Cauline leaves

2–3(–4) proximal to 1st flowering or branching node, usually well expanded at anthesis, usually ternate, 2–6(–10) cm;

petiole 0.3–4(–8) cm;

leaflets (3–)5, ± resembling or narrower than those of basal leaves, narrowly cuneate, 1–2(–3.5) × 0.8–2(–2.5) cm, apex rounded to obtuse.

0–1 proximal to 1st flowering node, not fully expanded at anthesis, usually palmate, 2–7(–9) cm;

petiole (0.5–)1–6(–7.5) cm;

leaflets (3–)5, ± resembling those of basal leaves, apex rounded to obtuse.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

Pedicels

(1–)3–10(–17) cm.

(1–)2–5(–9) cm.

Flowers

4(–5)-merous;

epicalyx bractlets narrowly elliptic to oblong or ovate, 3–4(–7) × 1–1.5 mm, smaller than to slightly larger than sepals;

hypanthium 2–4 mm diam.;

sepals (3–)4–6 mm, apex broadly acute or acuminate;

petals 6–9 × 5–9 mm, apex ± retuse;

stamens 15–20, filaments 0.8–1.2 mm, anthers 0.8–1.2 mm;

carpels 20–50, styles 0.9–1.5 mm.

5-merous;

epicalyx bractlets linear to lanceolate-elliptic, (2–)3–5(–6) × 0.8–1.5 mm, slightly smaller than to ± equal to sepals;

hypanthium 2.5–5 mm diam.;

sepals (2–)3–5(–6) mm, apex acute;

petals 4–6(–8) × 3.5–6.5(–8) mm, apex rounded to slightly retuse;

stamens ca. 20, filaments 0.5–2 mm, anthers 0.4–1 mm;

carpels 20–40, styles 0.8–1.4 mm.

Achenes

1–1.5(–1.8) mm, ± smooth.

1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.

Rootstocks

± erect, stout to slender, 1–4 cm.

erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.

2n

= 28, 56 (Europe).

= 28.

Potentilla anglica

Potentilla canadensis

Phenology Flowering May–Aug(–Nov). Flowering late Mar–early Jun.
Habitat Moist flats and slopes, mainly on acidic soil Dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil
Elevation 0–1200 m (0–3900 ft) 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; CO; ME; NY; OR; PA; UT; WA; BC; NL; NS; QC; SPM; Europe [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Atlantic Islands (Azores, Madeira), Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DC; DE; KY; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Potentilla anglica apparently is a product of hybridization involving P. erecta and P. reptans (B. Matfield and J. R. Ellis 1972) that has become stabilized and distinct from both parents. In Europe, it forms back-cross hybrids with both P. erecta (P. ×suberecta Zimmeter) and P. reptans (P. ×mixta Nolte); these hybrids are not known from North America. A garden hybrid supposedly between P. anglica and P. nepalensis Hooker (known as P. ×tonguei Mallett) was found in Allegany State Park, New York, but this was likely cultivated rather than naturalized.

Potentilla anglica probably was introduced even in Newfoundland (A. Kurtto et al. in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13), contrary to the view expressed by M. L. Fernald (1950).

The name Potentilla procumbens Sibthorp was previously used for this species; that is a superfluous and illegitimate name.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

A cream-colored form (ochroleuca) was described from a now-obliterated site in Massachusetts (M. L. Fernald 1931).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 135. FNA vol. 9, p. 134.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla
Sibling taxa
P. albiflora, P. ambigens, P. anachoretica, P. angelliae, P. anserina, P. arenosa, P. argentea, P. arizonica, P. basaltica, P. bicrenata, P. biennis, P. biflora, P. bimundorum, P. bipinnatifida, P. brevifolia, P. breweri, P. bruceae, P. brunnescens, P. canadensis, P. concinna, P. cottamii, P. crantzii, P. crebridens, P. crinita, P. cristae, P. demotica, P. drummondii, P. effusa, P. elegans, P. erecta, P. flabellifolia, P. fragiformis, P. furcata, P. glaucophylla, P. gracilis, P. grayi, P. hickmanii, P. hippiana, P. holmgrenii, P. hookeriana, P. hyparctica, P. inclinata, P. intermedia, P. jepsonii, P. johnstonii, P. lasiodonta, P. litoralis, P. macounii, P. millefolia, P. modesta, P. morefieldii, P. multijuga, P. multisecta, P. nana, P. newberryi, P. nivea, P. norvegica, P. ovina, P. paucijuga, P. pedersenii, P. pensylvanica, P. plattensis, P. pseudosericea, P. pulchella, P. pulcherrima, P. recta, P. reptans, P. rhyolitica, P. rimicola, P. rivalis, P. robbinsiana, P. rubella, P. rubricaulis, P. sanguinea, P. saximontana, P. sierrae-blancae, P. simplex, P. sterilis, P. stipularis, P. subgorodkovii, P. subjuga, P. subvahliana, P. subviscosa, P. supina, P. thurberi, P. thuringiaca, P. tikhomirovii, P. townsendii, P. uliginosa, P. uschakovii, P. vahliana, P. verna, P. versicolor, P. villosa, P. villosula, P. vulcanicola, P. wheeleri
P. albiflora, P. ambigens, P. anachoretica, P. angelliae, P. anglica, P. anserina, P. arenosa, P. argentea, P. arizonica, P. basaltica, P. bicrenata, P. biennis, P. biflora, P. bimundorum, P. bipinnatifida, P. brevifolia, P. breweri, P. bruceae, P. brunnescens, P. concinna, P. cottamii, P. crantzii, P. crebridens, P. crinita, P. cristae, P. demotica, P. drummondii, P. effusa, P. elegans, P. erecta, P. flabellifolia, P. fragiformis, P. furcata, P. glaucophylla, P. gracilis, P. grayi, P. hickmanii, P. hippiana, P. holmgrenii, P. hookeriana, P. hyparctica, P. inclinata, P. intermedia, P. jepsonii, P. johnstonii, P. lasiodonta, P. litoralis, P. macounii, P. millefolia, P. modesta, P. morefieldii, P. multijuga, P. multisecta, P. nana, P. newberryi, P. nivea, P. norvegica, P. ovina, P. paucijuga, P. pedersenii, P. pensylvanica, P. plattensis, P. pseudosericea, P. pulchella, P. pulcherrima, P. recta, P. reptans, P. rhyolitica, P. rimicola, P. rivalis, P. robbinsiana, P. rubella, P. rubricaulis, P. sanguinea, P. saximontana, P. sierrae-blancae, P. simplex, P. sterilis, P. stipularis, P. subgorodkovii, P. subjuga, P. subvahliana, P. subviscosa, P. supina, P. thurberi, P. thuringiaca, P. tikhomirovii, P. townsendii, P. uliginosa, P. uschakovii, P. vahliana, P. verna, P. versicolor, P. villosa, P. villosula, P. vulcanicola, P. wheeleri
Synonyms P. canadensis var. pumila, P. canadensis var. villosissima, P. caroliniana, P. pumila
Name authority Laicharding: Veg. Europ. 1: 475. (1790) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753)
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