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dwarf cinquefoil

ashy cinquefoil, potentille inclinée

Stems

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

ascending to erect, (1–)1.5–5 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.

palmate.

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.

3–9, proximal ones 5–10(–14) cm;

proximal petioles 2–6(–8) cm, long hairs sparse to common, spreading to loosely appressed, 1.5–3 mm, soft to weak, short or crisped hairs abundant, cottony hairs mostly absent, glands sparse to common, usually obscured;

leaflets 5–7, central one usually ± oblanceolate, (1.5–)2–5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, margins flat or ± revolute, distal (1/2–)3/4+ usually evenly incised 1/2 to midvein, teeth 4–6(–10) per side, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial grayish to gray-green, long hairs sparse to common (especially on veins), 1–2.5 mm, soft to weak, short or crisped hairs ± abundant, sometimes sparse, cottony hairs absent, glands ± sparse (usually obscured), adaxial long hairs usually sparse, sometimes absent, 1–2 mm, short hairs absent or sparse, crisped and cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.

Inflorescences

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

10–50+-flowered.

Pedicels

(1–)2–5(–9) cm.

0.3–1.5(–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 lanceolate or elliptic to oblong, 3–6 × 1–1.5 mm, length ± 1 times sepals;

sepals 3.5–6.5 mm, apex acute to acuminate;

petals 4–7(–8) × 4–5(–6) mm;

filaments 0.8–2.5 mm, anthers (0.5–)0.8–1.2 mm;

carpels 80–100+, styles 0.8–1.1 mm, scarcely papillate-swollen proximally.

Achenes

1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.

1 mm, lightly rugose.

Rootstocks

erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.

2n

= 28.

= 14, 28, 35, 42, 84 (Eurasia).

Potentilla canadensis

Potentilla inclinata

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 waste places, along roadsides, ditches, other open sites, in grasslands, oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) 0–2200 m (0–7200 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
AZ; CT; IN; MA; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; VA; VT; WA; WI; WY; BC; ON; PE; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[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.)

In addition to the characters given in the key, Potentilla inclinata in the flora area tends to have narrower leaflets, more compact inflorescences with fewer flowers, and more coarsely hairy epicalyx bractlets and sepals than P. intermedia. The species is currently becoming more common in western North America.

The name Potentilla inclinata has been conserved over P. assurgens Villars (T. Gregor et al. 2009).

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

Source FNA vol. 9, p. 134. FNA vol. 9, p. 145.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Terminales
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. 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. 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 P. canescens, P. intermedia var. canescens
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753) Villars: Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 3: 567, plate 45 [bottom left]. (1788)
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