Potentilla millefolia |
Potentilla erecta |
|
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cut-leaf cinquefoil, feather cinquefoil, feather or many-leaf or Klamath cinquefoil, many leaf cinquefoil |
erect cinquefoil, tormentil |
|
Habit | Plants ± rosetted; taproots fleshy-thickened. | |
Stems | usually prostrate, sometimes ± decumbent, 0.4–2(–3) dm, lengths 1–2 times basal leaves. |
mostly ascending to erect, not flagelliform, openly branched, not rooting at nodes, (0.5–)1–5(–7) dm. |
Basal leaves | pinnate with distal leaflets ± confluent, 2–15(–20) × 1–3 cm; petiole 0.5–2(–3) cm, straight hairs sparse to abundant, appressed to spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse; primary lateral leaflets (3–)5–13 per side, on distal 2/3–3/4+ of leaf axis, separate to overlapping, largest ones cuneate to flabellate, 0.5–1.5(–2) × 0.5–2 cm, distal 2/3 to whole margin palmately or unevenly, rarely pinnately, incised 2/3 to completely to midvein, ultimate teeth or segments (1–)2–10, linear to broadly oblanceolate, 2–10 × (0.5–)1–2 mm, apical tufts to 1 mm, surfaces green to grayish green, not glaucous, straight hairs sparse to abundant, appressed to spreading, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands sparse to common. |
ephemeral, usually ternate, 2–15 cm; petiole (1–)3–13 cm, long hairs sparse to common, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, stiff, glands absent; leaflets 3(–5), central ± obovate to cuneate, (0.5–)1–2 × (0.3–)1–1.5 cm, distal 1/2–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–4 per side, surfaces similar, green (abaxial sometimes paler), glabrate or sparsely to moderately hairy. |
Cauline leaves | (0–)1–2. |
(0–)1–3(–7) proximal to 1st flowering node, expanded at anthesis, usually ternate, rarely palmate (or appearing so because of leafletlike stipules), (0.5–)1–3 cm; petiole usually 0 cm; leaflets 3(–5), usually much narrower than those of basal leaves, narrowly cuneate to oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–3 × (0.2–)0.5–1 cm, distal 1/3–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth 2–4(–6) per side, apex usually obtuse to acute. |
Inflorescences | 3–6(–10)-flowered, loosely cymose, sometimes racemiform. |
3–30-flowered, cymose, open. |
Pedicels | (0.5–)1–2(–4.5) cm, ± recurved in fruit. |
(1–)2–3(–5) cm. |
Flowers | epicalyx bractlets ± elliptic, 2–4(–6) × 1–2(–2.5) mm; hypanthium 3–6 mm diam.; sepals 4–6(–8) mm, apex acute; petals 4–8(–10) × 3–7(–9) mm; filaments 2–3.5 mm, anthers 0.7–1 mm; carpels 10–30, styles (1.5–)2–3 mm. |
4(–5)-merous; epicalyx bractlets ovate to narrowly elliptic, 1.5–4 × 0.5–1 mm, much smaller than to sometimes equal to sepals; hypanthium 1.5–2.5 mm diam.; sepals (2–)3–5 mm, apex broadly acute; petals (2–)4–6 × (1.5–)3–6 mm, apex ± retuse; stamens 15–20, filaments 2–3.8 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm; carpels 4–8(–20), styles 0.9–1.4 mm. |
Achenes | 1.5–2 mm, smooth, often ± carunculate. |
1.2–2 mm, rugose. |
Rootstocks | erect to horizontal, irregularly thickened, 1–8 cm. |
|
2n | = 28 (Eurasia). |
|
Potentilla millefolia |
Potentilla erecta |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–summer. | Flowering unknown. |
Habitat | Vernally to permanently wet meadows, moist openings in conifer forests and sagebrush, alkaline flats | Moist, mossy flats and slopes, acidic soil |
Elevation | 700–2200 m (2300–7200 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; NV; OR
|
MA; NS; Europe; w Asia; n Africa; Atlantic Islands (Azores) [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Potentilla millefolia occurs from central Oregon to the east side of the Sierra Nevada of California, with a disjunct occurrence on the alkaline flats of Reese River Valley, Nevada. Significant variation occurs in vestiture type, leaflet dissection, and flower size, but with minimal geographic correlation. The most distinctive variant, represented by the type of P. klamathensis, has relatively long, slender, spreading, pustule-based hairs, often intermixed with shorter hairs. This vestiture type does not appear to be correlated with any other characters or geographic distribution and may vary within a population. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Although included here, Potentilla erecta is questionably extant as a naturalized species in North America and is not currently known from Newfoundland where historically reported. It is a medicinal plant called tormentil, high in tannins and strongly astringent. A tea made from the tuberous rootstock is widely used in Europe and parts of Asia for diarrhea, dysentery, sore throats, and related problems. A decoction is a mild antibiotic used for cuts and minor infections, especially as an anti-inflammatory for gingivitis and other gum problems. The rootstock is used as a red dye. Another synonym with a long history of use is Potentilla tormentilla Necker, illegitimate by virtue of being superfluous. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 174. | FNA vol. 9, p. 136. |
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. klamathensis, P. millefolia var. klamathensis, P. plattensis var. klamathensis, P. plattensis var. millefolia | Tormentilla erecta |
Name authority | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 23: 433, plate 277, figs. 1–5. (1896) | (Linnaeus) Raeuschel: Nomencl. Bot, 152. (1797) |
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