Potentilla concinna |
Potentilla erecta |
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early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil |
erect cinquefoil, tormentil |
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Stems | 0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves. |
mostly ascending to erect, not flagelliform, openly branched, not rooting at nodes, (0.5–)1–5(–7) dm. |
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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. |
ephemeral, usually ternate, 2–15 cm; petiole (1–)3–13 cm, long hairs sparse to common, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, stiff, glands absent; leaflets 3(–5), central ± obovate to cuneate, (0.5–)1–2 × (0.3–)1–1.5 cm, distal 1/2–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–4 per side, surfaces similar, green (abaxial sometimes paler), glabrate or sparsely to moderately hairy. |
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Cauline leaves | (0–)1–3(–7) proximal to 1st flowering node, expanded at anthesis, usually ternate, rarely palmate (or appearing so because of leafletlike stipules), (0.5–)1–3 cm; petiole usually 0 cm; leaflets 3(–5), usually much narrower than those of basal leaves, narrowly cuneate to oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–3 × (0.2–)0.5–1 cm, distal 1/3–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth 2–4(–6) per side, apex usually obtuse to acute. |
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Inflorescences | (1–)2–12-flowered. |
3–30-flowered, cymose, open. |
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Pedicels | 1–2(–3) cm. |
(1–)2–3(–5) cm. |
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Flowers | 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. |
4(–5)-merous; epicalyx bractlets ovate to narrowly elliptic, 1.5–4 × 0.5–1 mm, much smaller than to sometimes equal to sepals; hypanthium 1.5–2.5 mm diam.; sepals (2–)3–5 mm, apex broadly acute; petals (2–)4–6 × (1.5–)3–6 mm, apex ± retuse; stamens 15–20, filaments 2–3.8 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm; carpels 4–8(–20), styles 0.9–1.4 mm. |
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Achenes | 1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose. |
1.2–2 mm, rugose. |
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Rootstocks | erect to horizontal, irregularly thickened, 1–8 cm. |
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2n | = 70. |
= 28 (Eurasia). |
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Potentilla concinna |
Potentilla erecta |
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Phenology | Flowering unknown. | |||||||||
Habitat | Moist, mossy flats and slopes, acidic soil | |||||||||
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | |||||||||
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; MT; ND; NM; NV; OH; SD; UT; WY; AB; MB; SK
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MA; NS; Europe; w Asia; n Africa; Atlantic Islands (Azores) [Introduced in North America] |
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Discussion | 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.) |
Although included here, Potentilla erecta is questionably extant as a naturalized species in North America and is not currently known from Newfoundland where historically reported. It is a medicinal plant called tormentil, high in tannins and strongly astringent. A tea made from the tuberous rootstock is widely used in Europe and parts of Asia for diarrhea, dysentery, sore throats, and related problems. A decoction is a mild antibiotic used for cuts and minor infections, especially as an anti-inflammatory for gingivitis and other gum problems. The rootstock is used as a red dye. Another synonym with a long history of use is Potentilla tormentilla Necker, illegitimate by virtue of being superfluous. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 178. | FNA vol. 9, p. 136. | ||||||||
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Concinnae | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla | ||||||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||||||
Synonyms | Tormentilla erecta | |||||||||
Name authority | Richardson: in J. Franklin, Narr. Journey Polar Sea, 739. (1823) | (Linnaeus) Raeuschel: Nomencl. Bot, 152. (1797) | ||||||||
Web links |