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early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil

red-stem cinquefoil, Rocky Mountain cinquefoil

Caudex branches

not sheathed with marcescent whole leaves.

Stems

0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.

ascending to nearly erect, 1.5–4 dm.

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.

often both ternate and palmate on same plant, rarely subpalmate, 4–10 cm;

petiole 2.5–7 cm, long hairs sparse to common, loosely appressed to ascending-spreading, 1–2 mm, ± weak to stiff, verrucose, short and/or ± crisped hairs common to abundant, cottony hairs absent, glands usually sparse;

leaflets 3–5, proximalmost separated by 0(–1) mm, central oblong to obovate, 1.5–4 × 1–2.5 cm, petiolules 0–5 mm, distal 2/3–3/4 of margin incised 1/2–3/4, rarely +, to midvein, teeth (4–)5–8 per side, 4–5 mm, apical tufts 1 mm, abaxial surfaces gray to grayish white, long hairs abundant, cottony-crisped hairs usually dense, short hairs and glands absent or obscured, adaxial green to grayish green, long hairs sparse to common, 0.5–1.5 mm, stiff, short hairs absent or sparse, rarely common, crisped and cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse, rarely common.

Cauline leaves

2–3.

Inflorescences

(1–)2–12-flowered.

4–20-flowered, open, branch angle (10–)20–45°.

Pedicels

1–2(–3) cm.

0.5–3 cm, proximal to 5 cm.

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.

epicalyx bractlets linear to narrowly lanceolate, 3–4 × 0.8–1.2 mm;

hypanthium 4–6 mm diam.;

sepals 4–5 mm, apex subacute to acute, glands usually ± sparse, not obscured;

petals pale yellow, not overlapping, 5–7 × (4–)5–6.5 mm, distinctly longer than sepals;

filaments 0.5–1.5 mm, anthers 0.4 mm;

carpels 30–60, styles 0.9–1.1 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.

1.2 mm.

2n

= 70.

= 56.

Potentilla concinna

Potentilla rubricaulis

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Sandy lake and stream shores, open sandy forests, dry grassy slopes, sandy and loamy bluffs, rock crevices, scree
Elevation 0–1600 m (0–5200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; MT; ND; NM; NV; OH; SD; UT; WY; AB; MB; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AB; BC; NT; SK; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

As addressed by B. Ertter et al. (2013), the name Potentilla rubricaulis is here restricted to relatively large plants with open inflorescences occurring mainly in glaciated parts of subarctic northwestern Canada and Alaska. Plants from the Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska tend to be more conspicuously glandular than elsewhere.

The distinction between Potentilla rubricaulis and large forms of P. arenosa with supernumerary leaflets is problematic. Although both species have somewhat similar petiole vestiture (long, straight, verrucose hairs and a layer of short, stiff, or curly hairs), the latter species tends to have more stiffly spreading petiole hairs and prominently petiolulate central leaflets.

The octoploid chromosome count (P. M. Dansereau and E. Steiner 1956) from Great Bear Lake area, Northwest Territories, probably belongs to Potentilla rubricaulis in the narrow sense, since that is its type locality.

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

Key
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
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 178. FNA vol. 9, p. 207.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Concinnae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Rubricaules
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. canadensis, 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. concinna var. concinna, P. concinna var. divisa, P. concinna var. proxima
Synonyms P. dissecta var. rubricaulis, P. nivea subsp. rubricaulis
Name authority Richardson: in J. Franklin, Narr. Journey Polar Sea, 739. (1823) Lehmann: Nov. Stirp. Pug. 2: 11. (1830)
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