Potentilla concinna
Potentilla sect. Concinnae
early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil
0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.
prostrate to ± decumbent, not flagelliform, not rooting at nodes, lateral to persistent basal rosettes, 0.2–1.5(–2.7) dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.
basal not in ranks;
cauline 0–2;
primary leaves palmate to subpalmate, sometimes subpinnate to pinnate (distal leaflets sometimes confluent), 1.5–12(–15) cm;
petiole: long hairs ± appressed to ascending, stiff to weak, glands absent or sparse or obscured, rarely abundant;
leaflets (3–)5–9(–11), at tip or to distal 3/4+ of leaf axis, separate to strongly overlapping, narrowly oblanceolate or cuneate to obovate, margins flat, less than distal 1/5 to whole length evenly, sometimes unevenly, incised 1/4–3/4+ to midvein, sometimes medially cleft as well, rarely entire, teeth (0–)1–5(–10) per side, surfaces similar to strongly dissimilar, abaxial green to white, cottony hairs absent or sparse to dense, adaxial green to grayish, not glaucous, long hairs usually stiff, rarely weak.
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.
(1–)2–12-flowered.
(1–)2–12(–15)-flowered, usually ± cymose, open, sometimes racemiform when prostrate.
1–2(–3) cm.
often recurved in fruit, 0.7–3(–4.5) cm, proximal usually not much longer than distal.
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.
5-merous;
hypanthium 2.5–6 mm diam.;
petals yellow, ± obcordate, (2.5–)3.5–7(–9) mm, longer than sepals, apex usually ± retuse;
stamens ca. 20;
styles subapical, filiform to filiform-tapered, not papillate-swollen or in proximal 1/5, (1–)1.5–3 mm.
1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.
smooth to ± rugose.
= 70.
Potentilla concinna
Potentilla sect. Concinnae
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.)
Species ca. 10 (8 in the flora).
Section Concinnae, as here defined, accommodates a cluster of species that occur from the western Great Plains to California and to the mountains of northern Mexico. Stems are commonly prostrate or nearly so and are sometimes shorter than the basal leaves; pedicels tend to become recurved in fruit. Inflorescences often have abundant reddish papillae at the bases of hairs on hypanthia, epicalyx bractlets, and sepals. Leaves are most commonly palmate to subpalmate (except for Potentilla angelliae, P. macounii, and P. morefieldii), most often sparsely to densely cottony abaxially (except for P. multisecta, P. johnstonii, and P. sierrae-blancae), and strigose adaxially with stiff, verrucose hairs, which are sometimes yellowish. Petioles are usually sparsely to densely strigose with stiff, verrucose hairs.
Both P. A. Rydberg (1908d) and B. C. Johnston (1980, 1985) restricted sect. Concinnae to species with palmate, abaxially cottony leaves. Given the unifying or transitional nature of other morphologic and biogeographic features, the circumscription presented here seems more justified.
P. A. Rydberg (1908d) included New Mexico in the distribution of the otherwise Mexican species Potentilla oblanceolata Rydberg, repeated in subsequent floras (I. Tidestrom and T. Kittell 1941; W. C. Martin and C. R. Hutchins 1980). No specimens are currently known to confirm the presence of this species north of Mexico, and it is excluded here.
Since Potentilla breweri (sect. Multijugae) is sometimes identified as a member of sect. Concinnae, it is included herein and keys out in the ninth couplet.
(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 |
1. Leaflet abaxial surfaces: cottony hairs absent | → 2 |
1. Leaflet abaxial surfaces: cottony hairs sparse to dense | → 4 |
2. Teeth 2–5 per side on distal 1/2+ of central leaflets, 3–10(–14) mm. | P. multisecta |
2. Teeth 1(–3) per side on distal 1/4 or less of central leaflets, 1–2(–4) mm | → 3 |
3. Leaflets (3–)5–7(–9), straight hairs sparse to common; inflorescences 4–11-flowered; Nevada. | P. johnstonii |
3. Leaflets (3–)4–5, straight hairs mostly absent (except on margins); inflorescences 1–3-flowered; New Mexico. | P. sierrae-blancae |
4. Leaves palmate, leaflets on tip or at least less than distal 1/10 of leaf axis | → 5 |
4. Leaves subpalmate to pinnate, leaflets on distal (1/10–)1/5–3/4+ of leaf axis | → 6 |
5. Central leaflets: teeth (1–)2–5(–10) per side on distal 1/4 to whole margins. | P. concinna |
5. Central leaflets: teeth 0–1(–3) per side on less than distal 1/5(–1/3) of margins. | P. bicrenata |
6. Leaflets 5(–7) on distal (1/10–)1/5–1/4 of leaf axis, usually only 1 pair of leaflets separate from terminal leaflets | → 7 |
6. Leaflets 5–9(–11) on distal 1/5–3/4+ of leaf axis, usually at least 2 pairs of leaflets separate from terminal leaflets | → 8 |
7. Central leaflets: teeth 2–5(–6) per side on distal 1/3 to whole margins. | P. concinna |
7. Central leaflets: teeth (0–)1(–2) per side on distal 1/4(–1/3) or less of margins. | P. angelliae |
8. Leaflets on distal 1/5–1/2 of leaf axis; Alberta, Montana. | P. macounii |
8. Leaflets on distal (1/4–)1/2–3/4+ of leaf axis; California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington | → 9 |
9. Leaflet surfaces ± similar, adaxial: cottony hairs sparse to dense, straight hairs soft; Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and n Great Basin. | P. breweri (sect. Multijugae) |
9. Leaflet surfaces ± to strongly dissimilar, adaxial: cottony hairs absent, straight hairs stiff; White Mountains and adjacent Sierra Nevada, California. | P. morefieldii |
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