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

arctic cinquefoil, subarctic cinquefoil

Habit Plants cushion-forming; caudex branches short to elongate, slender, often embedded in old leaf bases.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 0.2–2(–2.5) dm, lengths 1–3(–4) times basal leaves.

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.

not in ranks, ternate, (1–)2–8(–10) cm;

stipules: apex ± acute;

petiole 1–6.5(–8.5) cm, long hairs sparse to common, spreading to subappressed, 0.8–2 mm, weak to ± stiff, glands sparse to common;

leaflets 3, central obovate to broadly obovate, 0.5–2.5(–2.8) × 0.3–2(–2.2) cm, petiolule 0–3 mm, margins flat or slightly revolute, not lobed, distal 1/2–2/3(–3/4) evenly incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth (2–)3–5 per side, surfaces ± similar, abaxial usually pale green, sometimes grayish, hairs sparse to abundant, 0.5–1.7 mm, adaxial darker green, hairs and glands sparse.

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.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

1–3(–5)-flowered.

Pedicels

(1–)3–10(–17) cm.

straight, 0.3–3 cm in flower, to 9 cm in fruit.

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.

epicalyx bractlets narrowly to broadly oblong or ovate, 3.5–7 × 1.5–5 mm, margins flat;

hypanthium 4–7 mm diam.;

sepals 4–8 mm, apex subacute to rounded;

petals pale or bright yellow, 4–9 × 4–6 mm;

filaments 0.5–1.1 mm, anthers 0.2–0.4 mm;

carpels 50–80, styles ± columnar, not or scarcely papillate-swollen proximally, 0.6–0.9 mm.

Achenes

1–1.5(–1.8) mm, ± smooth.

1.1–1.3 mm.

Rootstocks

± erect, stout to slender, 1–4 cm.

2n

= 28, 56 (Europe).

Potentilla anglica

Potentilla hyparctica

Phenology Flowering May–Aug(–Nov).
Habitat Moist flats and slopes, mainly on acidic soil
Elevation 0–1200 m (0–3900 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
AK; MT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NL; NT; NU; QC; YT; n Eurasia; circumpolar
[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.)

Subspecies 3 (2 in the flora).

Southern arctic and subarctic plants differ from the northern arctic ones in presumably independent features. Where the two forms are sympatric (western Greenland, northern Quebec, Baffin Island), they appear to remain distinct even in mixed populations and are accordingly treated as subspecies.

Although some features of scattered plants in Alaska and Yukon approach subsp. nivicola Jurtzev & V. V. Petrovsky (described from northeastern Asia), such plants do not otherwise correspond fully with this taxon. Possible hybrids between Potentilla hyparctica and P. pulchella (sect. Pensylvanicae) are addressed in the discussion of sect. Pensylvanicae. Presumed hybrids with P. villosa from the Aleutian Islands, characterized by the combination of basally thickened styles and lack of cottony hairs on leaflet abaxial surfaces, have been named P. ×aleutica Soják.

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

Key
1. Epicalyx bractlets narrowly to ± oblong or ovate, 1.5–2 mm wide; central leaflets: petiolules 0–2 mm, bases cuneate.
subsp. hyparctica
1. Epicalyx bractlets broadly oblong or ovate, 2–5 mm wide; central leaflets: petiolules (0–)2–3(–5) mm, bases broadly cuneate to rounded.
subsp. elatior
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 135. FNA vol. 9, p. 192.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Aureae
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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. hyparctica subsp. elatior, P. hyparctica subsp. hyparctica
Synonyms P. robbinsiana subsp. hyparctica
Name authority Laicharding: Veg. Europ. 1: 475. (1790) Malte: Rhodora 36: 177. (1934)
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