Potentilla norvegica |
Potentilla townsendii |
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Norwegian cinquefoil, Norwegian or rough cinquefoil, potentille de norvège, rough cinquefoil |
Townsend's cinquefoil |
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Glands | absent or inconspicuous, uncolored. |
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Stems | ascending to erect, (0.5–)2–5(–9) dm, hairs at base ± stiff, tubercle-based, glands absent or sparse, inconspicuous. |
ascending to nearly erect, (1–)2–5(–7.5) dm. |
Leaves | ternate, rarely palmate, 3–15(–20) cm; petiole 1–6(–10) cm, long hairs sparse to abundant, spreading to ascending, 1–2.5(–3) mm, usually ± stiff, ± crisped hairs absent or sparse to common, glands absent or sparse, inconspicuous; leaflets 3(–5), at tip of leaf axis, separate to ± overlapping, largest ones broadly oblanceolate or elliptic to obovate, 1–6(–10) × 0.7–4(–5) cm, distal (1/2–)2/3–3/4+ of margin usually ± evenly incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, teeth (3–)4–8(–15) per side, surfaces sparsely to moderately hairy, sometimes glabrate or abundantly hairy, glands mostly absent. |
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Basal leaves | 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. |
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Cauline leaves | 1–3. |
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Inflorescences | 5–40+-flowered. |
(5–)10–20(–25)-flowered. |
Pedicels | (0.2–)0.5–2.5(–3) cm. |
0.7–3(–3.5) cm. |
Flowers | epicalyx bractlets ± elliptic to narrowly ovate, (3–)4–8(–13) × 1.5–3(–5) mm; hypanthium 4–7 mm diam.; sepals 5–8 mm, apex acute to obtuse; petals yellow, broadly obovate, (2–)3–5 × 2–4 mm; stamens 15 or 20, filaments 0.7–2 mm, anthers 0.3–0.5 mm; carpels 60–150, styles 0.7–0.8 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. |
Achenes | tan to brown, 0.8–1.3 mm, usually strongly rugose, without a corky protuberance. |
1.1–1.6 mm. |
2n | = 42, 56, 63, 70. |
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Potentilla norvegica |
Potentilla townsendii |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Moist meadows, stream banks, lakeshores, roadsides, grasslands, hardwood and conifer woodlands, tundra | Edges of meadows, dry gravelly flats and slopes, in montane to subalpine conifer woodlands, mixed grassland communities |
Elevation | 300–2700 m (1000–8900 ft) | (2300–)2700–3700 m ((7500–)8900–12100 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; NU; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Mexico; Central America; Greenland; Eurasia [Introduced in South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand)]
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AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua) |
Discussion | Potentilla norvegica is considered native in both North America and Eurasia, with the American race occasionally recognized as subsp. hirsuta for the stiff hairs on the stems, petioles, and pedicels of most plants in the flora area. This feature and other purported differences between the two races, in addition to being relatively subtle and inconstant, can be found in both America and Eurasia, though undoubtedly at least in part as introductions. Some populations in eastern Canada with glabrous stems have been distinguished as var. labradorica (for example, M. L. Fernald 1950), but such plants typically are intermixed with hairy individuals. The Löves (Á Löve 1954; Á Löve and D. Löve 1966) have argued that all three variants should be treated as distinct species due to chromosomal differences (hirsuta 2n = 56; labradorica 2n = 42; norvegica in the narrow sense 2n = 70) and obligate apomixis. Further research is needed to determine the taxonomic validity and rank of these expressions. If treated as species, P. flexuosa antedates P. labradorica (as noted by J. Soják 1969), while P. monspeliensis, although commonly used for the American race, is based on a European type (as summarized by A. Kurtto et al. in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13). An even greater challenge is determining native versus introduced ranges, especially given the likelihood that both native and Eurasian populations are widespread in North America. Achenes are produced prolifically and easily dispersed, to the extent that Potentilla norvegica is a contaminant in clover and hay fields and considered a weed at least in Canada (P. A. Werner and J. D. Soule 1976). (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.) |
Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 140. | FNA vol. 9, p. 153. |
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Rivales | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Graciles |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. flexuosa, P. labradorica, P. monspeliensis, P. norvegica subsp. hirsuta, P. norvegica var. hirsuta, P. norvegica var. labradorica, P. norvegica subsp. monspeliensis | |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 499. (1753) | Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 28: 174. (1901) |
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