Potentilla concinna
Potentilla townsendii
early cinquefoil, elegant cinquefoil, red cinquefoil
Townsend's cinquefoil
absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.
0.2–1.6 dm, lengths 1/2–3(–4) times basal leaves.
ascending to nearly erect, (1–)2–5(–7.5) 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.
usually not in ranks, palmate, rarely subpalmate, (2–)5–20(–30) cm;
petiole (1–)2–15(–25) cm, long hairs usually absent or sparse and appressed, sometimes common and spreading, 1–1.5 mm, stiff, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent;
leaflets 5–7(–8), usually on tip, rarely on less than distal 1/10, of leaf axis, separate, largest ones narrowly oblanceolate-elliptic, (1.5–)2–5(–6) × 0.5–1.2(–1.5) cm, margins flat, distal (1/4–)1/2–3/4 evenly incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, undivided medial blade 4–11 mm wide, teeth (2–)4–8(–9) per side, mostly broadly lanceolate, 1–2 mm, surfaces similar, green, not glaucous, long hairs usually absent or limited to veins and margins, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent.
1–3.
(1–)2–12-flowered.
(5–)10–20(–25)-flowered.
1–2(–3) cm.
0.7–3(–3.5) 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, (2–)2.5–5(–6) × 0.5–1(–1.4) mm, hairs sparse, ± appressed, glands absent;
hypanthium 3.5–5 mm diam.;
sepals 4–8(–9) mm, apex acute to long acuminate;
petals 5–10 × 5–10(–12) mm;
filaments 1–3 mm, anthers (0.5–)0.6–1 mm;
carpels 15–30, styles filiform above papillate-swollen base, (1–)1.5–2 mm.
1.5–2.5 mm, smooth to lightly rugose.
1.1–1.6 mm.
= 70.
Potentilla concinna
Potentilla townsendii
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 previously applied only to collections from Chihuahua, Mexico, Potentilla townsendii is here used to accommodate most plants from Arizona and New Mexico previously placed in P. glaucophylla (as P. diversifolia Lehmann). Plants have narrow, shallowly toothed leaflets; stems, petioles, and leaflet veins that are often reddish; and larger anthers than P. glaucophylla. As now circumscribed, P. townsendii is known in the United States primarily from the White Mountains of east-central Arizona and the high mountains of northern New Mexico. Whether these plants are truly conspecific with those from Chihuahua, Mexico, remains to be confirmed. The species might also occur in Colorado and Utah, but the best disposition of these problematic populations is uncertain. Somewhat hairy plants with subpalmate leaves are interpreted as introgression from P. hippiana or other species.
(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 |
CalFlora
PNW Herbaria
SW CO Wildflowers
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
