Potentilla canadensis
Potentilla townsendii
dwarf cinquefoil
Townsend's cinquefoil
absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.
initially ascending to erect, soon becoming prostrate, flagelliform, not branched, eventually rooting at some nodes, (0.3–)0.5–12 dm.
ascending to nearly erect, (1–)2–5(–7.5) dm.
± 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.
usually not in ranks, palmate, rarely subpalmate, (2–)5–20(–30) cm;
petiole (1–)2–15(–25) cm, long hairs usually absent or sparse and appressed, sometimes common and spreading, 1–1.5 mm, stiff, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent;
leaflets 5–7(–8), usually on tip, rarely on less than distal 1/10, of leaf axis, separate, largest ones narrowly oblanceolate-elliptic, (1.5–)2–5(–6) × 0.5–1.2(–1.5) cm, margins flat, distal (1/4–)1/2–3/4 evenly incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, undivided medial blade 4–11 mm wide, teeth (2–)4–8(–9) per side, mostly broadly lanceolate, 1–2 mm, surfaces similar, green, not glaucous, long hairs usually absent or limited to veins and margins, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent.
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.
1–3.
solitary flowers at stolon nodes.
(5–)10–20(–25)-flowered.
(1–)2–5(–9) cm.
0.7–3(–3.5) cm.
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 to elliptic, (2–)2.5–5(–6) × 0.5–1(–1.4) mm, hairs sparse, ± appressed, glands absent;
hypanthium 3.5–5 mm diam.;
sepals 4–8(–9) mm, apex acute to long acuminate;
petals 5–10 × 5–10(–12) mm;
filaments 1–3 mm, anthers (0.5–)0.6–1 mm;
carpels 15–30, styles filiform above papillate-swollen base, (1–)1.5–2 mm.
1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.
1.1–1.6 mm.
erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.
= 28.
Potentilla canadensis
Potentilla townsendii
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.)
Although previously applied only to collections from Chihuahua, Mexico, Potentilla townsendii is here used to accommodate most plants from Arizona and New Mexico previously placed in P. glaucophylla (as P. diversifolia Lehmann). Plants have narrow, shallowly toothed leaflets; stems, petioles, and leaflet veins that are often reddish; and larger anthers than P. glaucophylla. As now circumscribed, P. townsendii is known in the United States primarily from the White Mountains of east-central Arizona and the high mountains of northern New Mexico. Whether these plants are truly conspecific with those from Chihuahua, Mexico, remains to be confirmed. The species might also occur in Colorado and Utah, but the best disposition of these problematic populations is uncertain. Somewhat hairy plants with subpalmate leaves are interpreted as introgression from P. hippiana or other species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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