Potentilla glaucophylla
Potentilla anserina
blue-leaf cinquefoil, different-leaf cinquefoil, diverse-leaf cinquefoil, mountain meadow cinquefoil, vari-leaf cinquefoil
common silverweed, silver weed cinquefoil, silverweed
absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.
mostly ± ascending, 0.5–3(–4.5) dm.
often 2-ranked, palmate, sometimes subpalmate, 2–20 cm;
petiole (0.5–)1–8(–14) cm, long hairs often absent, sometimes sparse to abundant, usually appressed, 1–2 mm, weak to ± stiff, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse;
leaflets 5–6(–7), sometimes with 1–2(–4) additional, smaller, entire leaflets, on tip or to distal 1/10(–1/4) of leaf axis, separate, largest ones oblanceolate or cuneate to obovate, 1–4(–6) × 0.5–1.5(–2) cm, margins flat, distal 1/3–1/2(–2/3) ± evenly incised 1/2 or nearly to midvein, undivided medial blade 1.5–7(–10) mm wide, teeth 1–3(–5) per side, broadly lanceolate or linear to narrowly oblong, 1–5(–8) mm, surfaces similar adaxial ± less hairy, ± blue-green, usually glaucous, long hairs sparse to abundant (often restricted to veins, distal teeth, and margins), short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.
petiole (0.5–)1–15(–25) cm, long hairs absent or sparse to dense, 1.5–3.5 mm;
larger leaflets (0.4–)0.5–5(–7) × (0.2–)0.3–2(–3) cm, surfaces: abaxial with long hairs absent or sparse to abundant, not restricted to veins, 0.5–2(–2.5) mm, cottony-crisped hairs usually dense or usually absent (in subsp. groenlandica), adaxial with long hairs absent or sparse to abundant, cottony-crisped hairs usually absent, sometimes sparse to common (especially subsp. yukonensis).
(0–)1–2(–3).
2–10(–20)-flowered.
(0.5–)1–3(–6.5) cm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate to elliptic, 2–5 × 0.8–1.2(–1.6) mm, hairs sparse to common, rarely abundant, ± ascending, glands absent or inconspicuous;
hypanthium 3.5–5 mm diam.;
sepals (2–)2.5–4.5(–5) mm, apex acute to short acuminate;
petals (4–)5–10(–12) × 4–9(–10) mm;
filaments 1.5–2.5(–3) mm, anthers 0.4–0.7(–0.9) mm;
carpels 25–40, styles filiform above papillate-swollen base, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm.
epicalyx bractlets narrowly to broadly ovate-triangular or linear to elliptic, (2–)2.5–7(–8) × (0.3–)0.5–3(–3.5) mm, often 2-fid or dentate;
sepals (3–)3.5–7(–9) mm, apex subacute to acuminate;
petals (4–)5–15(–20) × (2.5–)3–10(–12) mm;
filaments (1–)2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm, anthers 0.7–1.3 mm;
carpels (10–)20–200(–250).
1.2–1.6 mm.
2 mm.
Potentilla glaucophylla
Potentilla anserina
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Potentilla glaucophylla replaces P. diversifolia; an examination of the lectotype of the latter confirms J. Soják’s (1996) conclusion that P. diversifolia applies to a hybrid involving P. glaucophylla and P. hippiana. Historically, this species was often termed P. dissecta Pursh, a misapplied name that has been rejected (B. Ertter et al. 2008).
In addition to the nomenclatural change, the circumscription of Potentilla glaucophylla is here restricted to plants with usually glaucous, blue-green, distally toothed leaflets that are usually glabrate (at least in var. glaucophylla). Plants from the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountains formerly included in this species and having dark green leaves, more leaflet teeth, and larger anthers are transferred either to P. townsendii or to a currently undescribed entity.
The two-ranked leaves of Potentilla glaucophylla suggest a possible connection to P. crantzii in sect. Aureae.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Subspecies 4 or 5 (4 in the flora).
Potentilla anserina is polymorphic in most features, especially in hairiness, but also in size and in degree of dissection of leaflets, epicalyx bractlets, and sepals. While most of the variation described by A. G. Blytt (1906) is taxonomically insignificant, A. Rousi (1965) found support for three northern races: subspp. anserina, egedei, and pacifica. He also suggested that P. yukonensis Hultén might qualify as a separate subspecies. This treatment follows J. Soják (1994) in accepting four northern subspecies of P. anserina, all present in North America.
A. Rousi (1965) demonstrated partial interfertility between the races of Potentilla anserina, which form intermediates in all zones of contact. The distinctness of the four races, in spite of intermediates, is upheld by being partly allopatric and occupying different habitats where they are sympatric. As partly interfertile parapatric entities, they are best treated as subspecies.
The vast majority of chromosome counts are tetraploid. Tetraploid plants (2n = 28) are fully fertile; hexaploids (2n = 42) are largely pollen and seed sterile; pentaploids (2n = 35) are probably occasional hybrids (S. Erlandsson 1942, 1942b; A. Rousi 1965). A. Kurtto et al. (in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13) considered numbers above tetraploid level as cases of occasional autopolyploidy.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaflets incised 1/3–1/2 to midvein, teeth broadly lanceolate; range of species. | var. glaucophylla |
1. Leaflets incised 3/4+ to midvein, teeth linear to narrowly oblong; northern Rocky Mountains. | var. perdissecta |
1. Epicalyx bractlets equal to or longer than sepals, often 2-fid or dentate; leaflet surfaces: abaxial with cottony-crisped hairs dense, long hairs common to abundant, on and between veins, adaxial glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy; achenes with dorsal groove; inland and seashore plants | → 2 |
1. Epicalyx bractlets shorter than sepals, usually entire, rarely 2-fid or dentate; leaflet surfaces: abaxial with cottony-crisped hairs absent or sparse to dense, long hairs absent or sparse, on veins, adaxial usually glabrous, rarely sparsely to densely hairy; achenes without dorsal groove; seashore or near-coastal plants | → 3 |
2. Hypanthium patelliform (wider than deep) in fruit; epicalyx bractlets narrowly to broadly ovate-triangular, equal to sepals; most of North America. | subsp. anserina |
2. Hypanthium turbinate (± as deep as wide) in fruit; epicalyx bractlets usually linear to elliptic, longer than sepals, rarely subequal; interior w Canada and Alaska. | subsp. yukonensis |
3. Carpels (20–)50–200(–250); leaves (3–)10–50(–75) cm; leaflets (4–)5–10(–15) per side, abaxial surfaces densely hairy, teeth (4–)6–12(–16) per side, teeth apices acute to acuminate, rarely subacute; flowers 1–2.5(–3.5) cm diam. | subsp. pacifica |
3. Carpels 25–60; leaves (1–)2–10 cm, rarely longer; leaflets 2–4(–5) per side, abaxial surfaces glabrous, sometimes sparsely to densely hairy, teeth 2–6(–10) per side, teeth apices rounded to subacute; flowers 0.8–1.5 cm diam. | subsp. groenlandica |
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