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

ashy cinquefoil, potentille inclinée

Glands

absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.

Stems

mostly ± ascending, 0.5–3(–4.5) dm.

ascending to erect, (1–)1.5–5 dm.

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.

Cauline leaves

(0–)1–2(–3).

3–9, proximal ones 5–10(–14) cm;

proximal petioles 2–6(–8) cm, long hairs sparse to common, spreading to loosely appressed, 1.5–3 mm, soft to weak, short or crisped hairs abundant, cottony hairs mostly absent, glands sparse to common, usually obscured;

leaflets 5–7, central one usually ± oblanceolate, (1.5–)2–5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, margins flat or ± revolute, distal (1/2–)3/4+ usually evenly incised 1/2 to midvein, teeth 4–6(–10) per side, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial grayish to gray-green, long hairs sparse to common (especially on veins), 1–2.5 mm, soft to weak, short or crisped hairs ± abundant, sometimes sparse, cottony hairs absent, glands ± sparse (usually obscured), adaxial long hairs usually sparse, sometimes absent, 1–2 mm, short hairs absent or sparse, crisped and cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.

Inflorescences

2–10(–20)-flowered.

10–50+-flowered.

Pedicels

(0.5–)1–3(–6.5) cm.

0.3–1.5(–3) 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 or elliptic to oblong, 3–6 × 1–1.5 mm, length ± 1 times sepals;

sepals 3.5–6.5 mm, apex acute to acuminate;

petals 4–7(–8) × 4–5(–6) mm;

filaments 0.8–2.5 mm, anthers (0.5–)0.8–1.2 mm;

carpels 80–100+, styles 0.8–1.1 mm, scarcely papillate-swollen proximally.

Achenes

1.2–1.6 mm.

1 mm, lightly rugose.

2n

= 14, 28, 35, 42, 84 (Eurasia).

Potentilla glaucophylla

Potentilla inclinata

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Dry waste places, along roadsides, ditches, other open sites, in grasslands, oak and conifer woodlands
Elevation 0–2200 m (0–7200 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; CT; IN; MA; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; VA; VT; WA; WI; WY; BC; ON; PE; QC; Eurasia [Introduced in North America]
[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.)

In addition to the characters given in the key, Potentilla inclinata in the flora area tends to have narrower leaflets, more compact inflorescences with fewer flowers, and more coarsely hairy epicalyx bractlets and sepals than P. intermedia. The species is currently becoming more common in western North America.

The name Potentilla inclinata has been conserved over P. assurgens Villars (T. Gregor et al. 2009).

(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. 145.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Graciles Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Terminales
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. 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. 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. canescens, P. intermedia var. canescens
Name authority Lehmann: Index Seminum (Hamburg) 1836: 7. (1836) Villars: Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 3: 567, plate 45 [bottom left]. (1788)
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