Potentilla brevifolia |
Potentilla canadensis |
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short-leaf cinquefoil, sparse-leaf cinquefoil |
dwarf cinquefoil |
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Stems | initially ascending to erect, soon becoming prostrate, flagelliform, not branched, eventually rooting at some nodes, (0.3–)0.5–12 dm. |
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Basal leaves | petiole 1–4 cm, eglandular hairs absent or sparse, spreading, less than 1 mm, weak, glands abundant. |
± 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 | 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. |
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Inflorescences | solitary flowers at stolon nodes. |
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Pedicels | (1–)2–5(–9) cm. |
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Flowers | epicalyx bractlets lanceolate-elliptic to ovate, 2–4 × 0.8–2 mm; sepals 3–5(–7) mm, apex broadly acute to obtuse; petals 3.5–6.5 × 3–5 mm; filaments 1–2.5 mm, anthers 0.5–0.6 mm; carpels 10–15. |
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 mm. |
1.2–1.4 mm, smooth. |
Rootstocks | erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm. |
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2n | = 28. |
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Potentilla brevifolia |
Potentilla canadensis |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering late Mar–early Jun. |
Habitat | Moist rocky slopes and talus, alpine grassy areas, subalpine conifer woodlands | Dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil |
Elevation | 2500–3600 m (8200–11800 ft) | 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) |
Distribution |
ID; MT; NV; OR; WY
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CT; DC; DE; KY; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON
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Discussion | Potentilla brevifolia is found mainly in alpine situations in the Pioneer, Sawtooth, Smoky, and White Cloud mountains of central Idaho; the Madison Range of western Montana; the Jarbidge Range of northeastern Nevada; the Blue, Steens, and Wallowa mountains of eastern Oregon; and the Teton Range of northwestern Wyoming. The elongate caudices are easily covered by moving soil and talus. (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. 188. | FNA vol. 9, p. 134. |
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Brevifoliae | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. canadensis var. pumila, P. canadensis var. villosissima, P. caroliniana, P. pumila | |
Name authority | Nuttall: in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 442. (1840) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753) |
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