The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

dwarf cinquefoil

Stems

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

erect, 1–3 dm.

Basal leaves

± 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.

pinnate, (4–)5–10(–14) cm;

petiole 3–7(–10) cm, long hairs abundant, subappresssed to appressed, 0.5–2 mm, ± weak, short hairs absent, crisped or cottony hairs absent or sparse, glands absent or sparse;

leaflets 2–3 per side, on distal 1/3–1/2 of leaf axis, separate, terminal ones elliptic to obovate, (1.8–)2–2.5(–3) × 0.8–1.3 cm, margins revolute, incised nearly to midvein, undivided medial blade 1–2 mm wide, teeth (4–)5–7 per side, linear, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial grayish to white, long hairs ± abundant especially on veins, 1–1.5 mm, weak, short hairs absent, crisped hairs abundant to dense, glands absent or obscured, adaxial greenish gray, long hairs common, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, short hairs absent, crisped hairs absent or sparse, glands absent or obscured.

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.

1–2.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

2–5-flowered, very open.

Pedicels

(1–)2–5(–9) cm.

2–4 cm.

Flowers

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.

epicalyx bractlets narrowly elliptic to linear, 3–4 × 0.5–0.8(–1) mm, lengths 2/3–3/4 times sepals, margins flat;

hypanthium 2.5–3 mm diam.;

sepals 3.5–5 mm, apex subacute, abaxial surfaces: venation indistinct, glands sparse to common, often obscured;

petals yellow, 7.5–10(–10.5) × 7.5–9(–10) mm, much exceeding sepals;

filaments 1–2 mm, anthers 0.5–0.7 mm;

carpels 50–60, styles papillate-swollen at very base, if at all, 0.8–0.9 mm.

Achenes

1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.

1.4–1.6 mm, smooth to faintly rugose.

Rootstocks

erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.

2n

= 28.

= 28 (14, 42, 56) (Russian Far East).

Potentilla canadensis

Potentilla anachoretica

Phenology Flowering late Mar–early Jun. Flowering summer.
Habitat Dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil Dry ridges, rocky outcrops, south-facing slopes, mainly on basic substrates
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) 500 m (1600 ft)
Distribution
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]
from FNA
AK; e Asia (Russian Far East)
Discussion

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.)

Potentilla anachoretica is isolated in sect. Pensylvanicae. B. A. Jurtzev (1993, pers. comm.) claimed indirect support for the presence of P. anachoretica in Alaska and Yukon by the presence of three hybrid species presumably involving P. anachoretica in their parentage: P. borealis Soják, P. murrayi Jurtzev, and P. petrovskyi Soják (sect. Rubricaules; discussed by B. Ertter et al. 2013). Potentilla anachoretica is confirmed from at least two sites in Brooks Range, northern Alaska.

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

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 134. FNA vol. 9, p. 218.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Pensylvanicae
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. 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
P. albiflora, P. ambigens, 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. 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 Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753) Soják: Preslia 46: 70, fig. [p. 71]. (1974)
Web links