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dwarf cinquefoil

branch cinquefoil

Stems

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

(0.5–)1.5–4(–5.5) dm, lengths 2–3(–4) times basal leaves.

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, (3–)5–15(–25) cm;

petiole 0.5–5(–8) cm, long hairs absent to abundant, ± appressed, 1–3 mm, stiff to weak, short and crisped hairs absent or obscured, cottony hairs abundant (at least on first-formed leaves), glands sparse or obscured;

leaflets not conduplicate, lateral ones evenly to unevenly paired, 2–5(–7) per side (secondary leaflets sometimes interspersed) on distal 1/3–1/2 of leaf axis, distal pairs usually not decurrent or confluent with terminal leaflet, larger leaflets oblanceolate to narrowly obovate, 1–2.5(–3) × 0.3–1.3(–1.8) cm, distal (1/2–)2/3–3/4 (rarely more) of margin incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth (1–)2–9 per side, 1–4 mm, surfaces similar, gray to white or ± green, abaxial: long hairs sparse to common (at least on veins), 0.5–1.5 mm, weak to stiff, short or crisped hairs absent or sparse, sometimes obscured, cottony hairs absent or sparse to dense, glands absent, sparse, or obscured, adaxial: long hairs absent or sparse to common, short or crisped hairs absent or sparse, cottony hairs absent or sparse to abundant, glands absent or sparse.

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.

2–6+.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

7–30-flowered.

Pedicels

(1–)2–5(–9) cm.

0.3–3 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 linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1–2.5(–3) × 0.3–1 mm, 1/2–2/3 as long as sepals, abaxial vestiture often much sparser than sepals, often glabrate or glabrescent distally, straight hairs absent or sparse, cottony hairs usually abundant (at least proximally), sometimes absent or nearly so (var. rupincola);

hypanthium 2–6 mm diam.;

sepals 3–6(–7) mm, apex long acuminate;

petals 4–6.5 × 4–6 mm;

filaments 1–3.5 mm, anthers 0.5–1 mm;

carpels 3–15, styles 1.5–2.1 mm.

Achenes

1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.

1.8–2.1 mm, smooth.

Rootstocks

erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.

2n

= 28.

Potentilla canadensis

Potentilla effusa

Phenology Flowering late Mar–early Jun.
Habitat Dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 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
CO; ID; MN; MT; ND; NE; NM; SD; UT; WY; AB; MB; SK
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

In the southern Rocky Mountains, Potentilla effusa is relatively distinct from P. hippiana both morphologically and geographically, with P. effusa mostly east of the Continental Divide and P. hippiana mostly west. In general, P. hippiana differs from P. effusa in having leaflets more evenly paired, more tightly serrate with teeth often occurring on the whole margin, and more bicolored with abaxial vestiture of crisped rather than cottony hairs. Stems of P. effusa have more cauline leaves on average than P. hippiana, and vestiture of epicalyx bractlets of P. effusa (as here circumscribed) is never sericeous.

The distinction between the two species is marred by intermediate populations throughout their shared range in the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. Most regional floras focused on these areas have accordingly included Potentilla effusa within P. hippiana, sometimes without infraspecific distinction. An alternate solution has been the recognition of P. hippiana subsp. effusa, with the subspecies further subdivided into the two varieties recognized here. The varieties themselves intergrade; P. effusa var. ×coloradensis (Rydberg) Th. Wolf is available for the hybrid.

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

Key
1. Leaflets gray to white, surfaces moderately long-hairy and moderately to densely cottony.
var. effusa
1. Leaflets ± green, surfaces glabrous or sparsely to moderately long-hairy (at least on veins) and not or sparsely cottony.
var. rupincola
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 134. FNA vol. 9, p. 162.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Leucophyllae
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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. effusa var. effusa, P. effusa var. rupincola
Synonyms P. canadensis var. pumila, P. canadensis var. villosissima, P. caroliniana, P. pumila P. hippiana subsp. effusa, P. hippiana var. effusa
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753) Douglas ex Lehmann: Nov. Stirp. Pug. 2: 8. (1830)
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