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blue-leaf cinquefoil, different-leaf cinquefoil, diverse-leaf cinquefoil, mountain meadow cinquefoil, vari-leaf cinquefoil

Glands

absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.

Stems

mostly ± ascending, 0.5–3(–4.5) dm.

0.2–0.8(–1.5) dm, lengths 1/2–1 1/2 times basal leaves.

Basal leaves

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.

palmate, (2–)4–10(–15) cm;

petiole (1–)2–6(–10) cm, straight hairs abundant, ± appressed to ascending, 1.5–2 mm, stiff, cottony hairs usually absent, glands sparse, often obscured;

leaflets 5–7(–9), on tip or at least less than distal 1/10 of leaf axis, slightly overlapping, proximal pair separated from others by 0(–1) mm of leaf axis, central leaflets ± oblanceolate, 1–4(–5.5) × 0.5–1 cm, petiolules 0(–3) mm, less than distal 1/5(–1/3) of margins incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth 0–1(–3) per side, separate, 0.5–2 mm, surfaces strongly to ± dissimilar, abaxial grayish white to white, straight hairs abundant, ± appressed, 1–1.5(–2) mm, weak to stiff (especially on veins), cottony hairs common to dense, glands absent or obscured, adaxial green to grayish green, straight hairs ± abundant, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, rarely sparse, glands absent or obscured.

Cauline leaves

(0–)1–2(–3).

Inflorescences

2–10(–20)-flowered.

2–5(–8)-flowered.

Pedicels

(0.5–)1–3(–6.5) cm.

1–3(–4.5) cm.

Flowers

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 ± lanceolate, 2–4 × 1 mm;

hypanthium 3–4 mm diam.;

sepals (2.5–)3–5.5 mm, apex ± acute;

petals 3.5–7 × 2.5–5.5 mm;

filaments 1–2 mm, anthers 0.5–1 mm;

carpels 10–20, styles 2 mm.

Achenes

1.2–1.6 mm.

2 mm, smooth to rugose.

Potentilla glaucophylla

Potentilla bicrenata

Phenology Flowering early summer.
Habitat Outcrops, dry flats, pine duff, in pine and/or juniper woodlands, sagebrush scrub
Elevation 1900–3300 m (6200–10800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; NL; NT; SK; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; NM; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

The entire to tridentate leaflets of Potentilla bicrenata generally serve to distinguish this species from P. concinna. Unequivocal P. bicrenata is most common in Utah and the southern Rocky Mountains from New Mexico to central Colorado; in Arizona, it is documented only from the Kaibab Plateau. Wyoming populations tend to be transitional to P. concinna var. concinna in leaflet toothing and/or petal size. Some collections from as far north as Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, vary in the direction of P. bicrenata but are retained here in P. concinna.

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

Key
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
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 152. FNA vol. 9, p. 179.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Graciles Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Concinnae
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
Subordinate taxa
P. glaucophylla var. glaucophylla, P. glaucophylla var. perdissecta
Synonyms P. diversifolia var. glaucophylla P. concinna var. bicrenata
Name authority Lehmann: Index Seminum (Hamburg) 1836: 7. (1836) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 23: 431. (1896)
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