Potentilla concinna
Potentilla concinna var. divisa
early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil
0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.
0.2–1(–1.5) dm, lengths (1/2–)1–2 times basal leaves.
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.
palmate to subpalmate;
leaflets on tip or to distal 1/4 of leaf axis, ± overlapping, proximal pairs sometimes separated from others by 1–3 mm of leaf axis;
distal (1/2–)3/4 to entire length of central leaflets incised 1/2–3/4+ to midvein, teeth 3–5(–6) per side, 2–6 mm.
(1–)2–12-flowered.
(1–)2–6-flowered.
1–2(–3) 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.
1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.
2–2.5 mm.
5–8 mm.
= 70.
Potentilla concinna
Potentilla concinna var. divisa
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.)
Variety divisa is the primary phase of the species in the northwestern prairies, Black Hills, and Rocky Mountain foothills. Plants differ from the typical variety in having more deeply toothed leaflets on average, as well as somewhat longer stems in relation to leaves, silkier vestiture, and occasional subpalmate leaves (possibly intergrading with Potentilla macounii). Also included in var. divisa are plants with deeply toothed leaflets from comparatively low elevations in northwestern Colorado, northeastern Utah, and Wyoming. These populations, which tend to have sparser, shaggier vestiture, were included by S. L. Welsh et al. (1993) in var. modesta (Rydberg) S. L. Welsh & B. C. Johnston (misapplied), along with some palmate-leaved collections of var. proxima. An anomalous collection from Stark County, Ohio (T. Davis 876, MO), which is exceptionally silky, is presumably introduced.
For the nomenclatural relation between var. divisa and Potentilla nivea var. dissecta S. Watson, see B. Ertter (2008).
(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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