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Potentilla brevifolia

short-leaf cinquefoil, sparse-leaf cinquefoil

Flagstaff cinquefoil

Stems

3–7(–10) dm.

Basal leaves

petiole 1–4 cm, eglandular hairs absent or sparse, spreading, less than 1 mm, weak, glands abundant.

± subpalmate, sometimes palmate, (4–)6–15(–21) cm;

petiole (2–)4–10(–15) cm, long hairs sparse to abundant, spreading to weakly appressed, 0.5–2(–3) mm, weak to ± stiff, glands sparse to abundant;

leaflets (5–)7, on less than distal 1/10 (1–5[–10] mm) of leaf axis, central one 1–6(–7) × 1–2(–3) cm, petiolules 0(–6) mm, distal 1/2–3/4 (sometimes nearly whole), margin incised 1/5 or less to midvein, teeth 4–10(–15) per side, 1–2(–3) mm, teeth apex ± obtuse, surfaces ± similar, abaxial green, straight hairs sparse to abundant, especially on veins, 0.5–1.5 mm, cottony hairs absent, glands ± sparse or absent, adaxial slightly paler green, hairs shorter and sparser.

Cauline leaves

stipules usually entire.

Inflorescences

(4–)8–40(–70)-flowered.

Pedicels

0.3–2 cm.

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.

epicalyx bractlets lanceolate-elliptic, 3.5–8 × 1–1.5(–2) mm;

sepals 4–8(–10) mm, apex acuminate;

petals dark reddish proximally, reddish orange distally, (3.5–)5–9 × 5–10 mm;

filaments 1.5–2.5 mm, anthers 0.8 mm;

carpels 30–40, styles 2–3 mm.

Achenes

1–1.5 mm.

1.5–2 mm, lightly rugose.

Potentilla brevifolia

Potentilla sanguinea

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Moist rocky slopes and talus, alpine grassy areas, subalpine conifer woodlands Moist forest settings in oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation 2500–3600 m (8200–11800 ft) 2100–2200 m (6900–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; MT; NV; OR; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ
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.)

Of conservation concern.

Potentilla sanguinea is known only from south and east of Flagstaff, Coconino County. The species may be a hybrid between P. thurberi var. thurberi and P. hippiana or another member of sect. Leucophyllae that occurs sympatrically.

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

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 188. FNA vol. 9, p. 149.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Brevifoliae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Rubrae
Sibling taxa
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. 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. 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. 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. thurberi var. sanguinea
Name authority Nuttall: in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 442. (1840) Rydberg: in N. L. Britton et al., N. Amer. Fl. 22: 324. (1908)
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