Potentilla argentea
Potentilla cristae
hoary cinquefoil, potentille argentée, silver cinquefoil, silver-leaf cinquefoil, silvery cinquefoil
crested cinquefoil, crested potentilla
mostly decumbent to ascending, 1–6 dm.
ascending to erect, 0.3–2 dm, lengths 2–3 times basal leaves.
palmate.
not in ranks, ternate, 1–5(–9) cm;
stipules: apex acute to obtuse;
petiole 1–4 cm, long hairs absent or sparse to common, spreading to ascending, 0.5–2 mm, ± weak, glands sparse to abundant;
leaflets 3, central flabellate, 0.4–2 × 0.5–1.5 cm, petiolule 1–3 mm, margins flat, distal 3/4+ deeply 3–5-lobed (sinuses extending 1/2 to nearly to midvein), lobes unevenly incised 1/4–1/2 to midvein, teeth 2–5 per lobe, surfaces similar, dark green, hairs ± sparse, 0.5–1.5 mm, glands sparse to abundant.
2–9, proximal ones 2–7(–10) cm;
proximal petioles 1–4(–7) cm, long hairs absent or sparse, ± ascending, 1–2 mm, soft, short and crisped hairs absent or obscured, cottony hairs dense, glands absent or obscured;
leaflets 5(–7), central one ± oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–3 × 0.3–1(–1.3) cm, margins revolute, distal 1/2–2/3 evenly or unevenly incised 1/2–3/4+ to midvein, teeth 2–3 per side (more if lobed or secondarily toothed), surfaces strongly dissimilar, abaxial white, long hairs ± sparse (mostly on veins), 1–2 mm, weak, short and crisped hairs absent or obscured, cottony hairs dense, glands absent or obscured, adaxial long hairs absent or sparse to common, short or crisped hairs absent or sparse, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.
10–80-flowered.
1–7-flowered.
0.3–1.5(–2) cm.
straight, 0.2–1.2(–2) cm, not much longer in fruit than in flower.
epicalyx bractlets oblong to narrowly ovate, 1.5–3 × 0.7–1.2 mm, lengths 2/3–1 times sepals;
sepals 2–4.5 mm, apex ± acute;
petals (2–)2.5–4 × 1.5–3 mm;
filaments 0.8–1.5 mm, anthers 0.3–0.6(–0.8) mm;
carpels 30–60, styles 0.6–0.9 mm, often strongly papillate-swollen proximally.
epicalyx bractlets broadly ovate, 2–4 × 2 mm, margins flat;
hypanthium 3.5–6 mm diam.;
sepals 3–5 mm, apex broadly acute to obtuse;
petals yellow, 3–5.5 × 4–5 mm;
filaments 0.7–1.7 mm, anthers 0.5–0.6 mm;
carpels 25–40, styles tapered-filiform, ± papillate-swollen in proximal 1/5–/1/3, 1.3–2 mm.
0.8–1.1 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.
1–1.5 mm, dorsally crested.
= 14, 28, 35, 42, 56, 62 (Eurasia).
= 42.
Potentilla argentea
Potentilla cristae
The bright, silvery vestiture of the leaves quickly distinguishes Potentilla argentea from P. inclinata and P. intermedia. Although treated here as introduced, some (P. A. Rydberg 1898; P. A. Werner and J. D. Soule 1976) considered P. argentea to be probably native in eastern North America.
The Potentilla argentea species group is an amphi- or apomictic polyploid complex that has been the subject of numerous cytological, sexual, and molecular studies (for example, A. Müntzing and G. Müntzing 1945; A. Müntzing 1958; J. Paule et al. 2011). Taxonomic treatments have ranged from a highly polymorphic single species to an abundance of species, varieties, and forms (T. Wolf 1908). This treatment is at the conservative end of the spectrum. Some New England references (R. C. Bean et al. 1967; F. C. Seymour 1969) distinguish plants with densely white-hairy adaxial leaflet surfaces as var. pseudocalabra Th. Wolf, a name based on plants from southeastern Europe. Molecular analysis by Paule et al. supports the conclusion by Wolf that the variety consists of intermediates between P. argentea and P. calabra Tenore. The optimum taxonomic disposition of var. pseudocalabra, and whether any North American plants are properly included, remains to be determined.
Potentilla argentea has been reported as an active agent in treating cirrhosis of the liver (N. T. Starostenko and V. N. Starostenko 1971).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Potentilla cristae is known only from Cory Peak, Mount Eddy, and the Marble Mountains in northwestern California. In addition to the characteristics in the key, the species is distinctive in having a low dorsal crest on the achenes, hence the specific epithet.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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