Potentilla concinna
Potentilla brunnescens
early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil
brownish cinquefoil, slender brown cinquefoil, slender cinquefoil
conspicuous, usually golden.
0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.
ascending to nearly erect, (1.5–)3–7 dm.
usually palmate to subpalmate, sometimes subpinnate, 1(–2) pair of leaflets separate from terminal leaflets, distal leaflets distinct, 2–10(–15) cm;
petiole 1–7(–10) cm, straight hairs ± abundant, ± appressed, 1–3 mm, stiff to weak, cottony hairs present, sometimes absent;
leaflets 5(–7), on tip or to distal 1/4 of leaf axis, separate to ± overlapping, proximal pair separated from others by 0–5(–10) mm of leaf axis, central leaflets narrowly oblanceolate to obovate, 1–3(–7) × 0.4–1.2 cm, petiolules 0–2(–4) mm, distal 1/4 to whole margin incised 1/4–3/4+ to midvein, teeth (1–)2–5(–10) per side, separate, 1–6 mm, surfaces strongly to ± dissimilar, abaxial grayish to white, straight hairs ± abundant, ± appressed, 0.5–2 mm, weak to stiff (especially on veins), cottony hairs ± dense, rarely sparse, glands sparse or obscured, adaxial green to grayish, straight hairs common to abundant, appressed, 0.5–2 mm, mostly stiff, sometimes weak or mixed, cottony hairs absent or sparse, rarely common, glands ± sparse.
sometimes 2-ranked, palmate, (5–)10–30 cm;
petiole (1.5–)5–25(–50) cm, long hairs sparse to abundant, appressed to spreading, 1–2 mm, ± stiff, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands ± abundant;
leaflets (5–)7–9, at tip of leaf axis, separate to slightly overlapping, largest ones oblanceolate-elliptic to narrowly obovate, (2–)5–10 × 1–4 cm, margins flat to ± revolute, distal 3/4 to nearly whole length ± evenly incised (1/4–)1/2–3/4+ to midvein, undivided medial blade 2–15(–20) mm wide, teeth (5–)7–10 per side, linear to broadly lanceolate, 3–15 mm, surfaces ± similar, abaxial paler, green, not glaucous, long hairs sparse to common, short-crisped hairs absent or sparse, cottony hairs absent, glands ± abundant.
1–3(–4).
(1–)2–12-flowered.
12–30(–70)-flowered.
1–2(–3) cm.
0.2–1(–4) cm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate to narrowly ovate to linear-elliptic, sometimes doubled, (2–)2.5–5 × 1–1.5 mm;
hypanthium 3–6 mm diam.;
sepals 3.5–6 mm, apex acute;
petals (2.5–)4–9 × (2–)3–7 mm;
filaments 1–3 mm, anthers 0.5–1 mm;
carpels (7–)10–30, styles (1–)1.5–2 mm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate to elliptic, 3–6 × 1–2 mm, hairs sparse to common, loosely appressed to spreading, glands common to abundant;
hypanthium 4–6(–8) mm diam.;
sepals 4–8(–9) mm, apex acute to acuminate;
petals 6–9 × 6–10 mm;
filaments 1–2 mm, anthers 0.6–1 mm;
carpels 30–60, styles filiform-tapered, papillate-swollen proximally, 1.5–2 mm.
1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.
1.5 mm.
= 70.
Potentilla concinna
Potentilla brunnescens
Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).
Potentilla concinna is a relatively widespread, low-growing, early-blooming species with palmate to subpalmate, abaxially cottony leaves. Flowers often appear before leaves are fully expanded. The three varieties treated here have some level of biogeographic identity and are, therefore, given provisional taxonomic recognition. Some treatments have also included P. bicrenata, P. johnstonii, and P. macounii as varieties of P. concinna. Two Mexican species, P. leonina Standley and P. oblanceolata Rydberg, have also been treated as varieties of P. concinna by J. Soják (2006); they are retained as distinct species here, pending further research on Mexican Potentilla. Two other erstwhile varieties of P. concinna are now placed in separate sections: var. modesta (Rydberg) S. L. Welsh & B. C. Johnston (misapplied) in sect. Rubricaules as P. modesta, and var. rubripes (Rydberg) C. L. Hitchcock in sect. Subjugae, intermediate between P. saximontana and P. subjuga. Potentilla concinnaeformis Rydberg, considered to be a close relative of P. concinna by I. W. Clokey (1939), is more likely a hybrid between P. glaucophylla (sect. Graciles) and P. hippiana (sect. Leucophyllae). Hybrids also occur with P. multisecta, and probably other species as well.
Potentilla concinna was first described in 1818 as P. humifusa Nuttall, a later homonym for P. humifusa Willdenow.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The conspicuous golden glands, dark green color, and relatively broad leaflets make Potentilla brunnescens one of the better-defined species of sect. Graciles, though it has often been treated as a variety of P. gracilis. The glands, which are often on septate stalks, are particularly conspicuous on the epicalyx bractlets, hypanthium, and sepals, and at the junction of petiole and leaflets. The species occurs from the Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington to western Montana, northern Utah, and north-central Colorado; collections from Alaska are probably not native.
As presented here, Potentilla brunnescens encompasses two morphological extremes that might merit varietal status. Leaflets of the more common and widespread extreme are incised about halfway to the midvein; in contrast, some populations in western Wyoming and adjacent Idaho have leaflets incised 3/4 or more to the midvein. The latter have often been assigned to P. gracilis var. elmeri while reserving P. gracilis var. brunnescens for the former; this is untenable because the type of P. brunnescens is the latter form.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Distal (1/2–)3/4 to full length of central leaflets incised 1/2–3/4+ to midvein, teeth 2–6 mm; n Great Plains to c Utah. | var. divisa |
1. Distal 1/4–3/4 of central leaflets incised 1/4–1/2 to midvein, teeth 1–3(–5) mm; mostly Rocky Mountains and west | → 2 |
2. Stem lengths 1/2–1.5(–2) times basal leaves; leaves palmate, proximal leaflet pair not separated from others. | var. concinna |
2. Stem lengths 2–3(–4) times basal leaves; leaves usually palmate to subpalmate, sometimes subpinnate, proximal leaflet pair often separated from others by 1–5(–10) mm of leaf axis. | var. proxima |
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