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sheep cinquefoil

dwarf cinquefoil

Habit Plants rosetted to ± matted; taproots sometimes ± fleshy-thickened.
Stems

prostrate to ascending, (0.3–)0.8–2(–3.5) dm, lengths (1–)1.5–3 times basal leaves.

initially ascending to erect, soon becoming prostrate, flagelliform, not branched, eventually rooting at some nodes, (0.3–)0.5–12 dm.

Basal leaves

pinnate with distal leaflets ± distinct, (1.5–)2–10(–13) × 0.7–3.5(–5) cm;

petiole 0.5–3.5(–5) cm, straight hairs sparse to abundant, sometimes absent (var. decurrens), ± appressed to ascending, 1 mm, ± stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands sparse, often obscured;

primary lateral leaflets 3–6 per side (often with additional interspersed leaflets), on distal 1/2–2/3(–3/4) of leaf axis, ± separate to ± overlapping, largest ones narrowly cuneate-oblanceolate to ± obovate, (0.3–)0.5–2(–3.5) × (0.2–)0.3–0.8(–1) cm, distal 1/4 to whole margin unevenly to pinnately (at least distal leaflets of var. ovina) incised 1/2–3/4+ to midvein, ultimate teeth 2–9(–11), linear or oblong to ovate, 1–7(–9) × 1–2 mm, apical tufts 0.5–2 mm, surfaces green to grayish, not glaucous, straight hairs sparse to abundant (sparser adaxially), sometimes absent (except on margins), loosely appressed, 0.5–2 mm, ± stiff, cottony hairs absent, crisped hairs sometimes sparse to common, glands absent or inconspicuous.

± persistent, usually palmate, 2–9(–11) cm;

petiole 1–7(–8) cm, long hairs abundant to dense, appressed to spreading, 1.5–3 mm, mostly ± weak, glands absent or sparse;

leaflets (3–)5(–7), central mostly ± obovate to cuneate, sometimes narrowly so, (0.5–)1–4(–6) × (0.5–)0.8–2(–3) cm, distal 1/2 of margin incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–7 per side, surfaces similar to ± dissimilar, abaxial green to silvery white, sparsely to densely hairy, adaxial green, sparsely to moderately hairy.

Cauline leaves

1–2.

0–1 proximal to 1st flowering node, not fully expanded at anthesis, usually palmate, 2–7(–9) cm;

petiole (0.5–)1–6(–7.5) cm;

leaflets (3–)5, ± resembling those of basal leaves, apex rounded to obtuse.

Inflorescences

(1–)2–11(–20)-flowered, usually openly cymose.

solitary flowers at stolon nodes.

Pedicels

(0.8–)1–2(–4) cm, straight to ± recurved in fruit.

(1–)2–5(–9) cm.

Flowers

epicalyx bractlets linear-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, sometimes doubled, 2–3.5(–5) × 1 mm;

hypanthium 3–5 mm diam.;

sepals 3.5–5.5(–7) mm, apex acute to obtuse;

petals 4–7(–8) × 3.5–8 mm;

filaments 1–2.5 mm, anthers 0.4–1 mm usually ± 1/2 as long as filaments;

carpels 10–20, styles 2–3 mm.

5-merous;

epicalyx bractlets linear to lanceolate-elliptic, (2–)3–5(–6) × 0.8–1.5 mm, slightly smaller than to ± equal to sepals;

hypanthium 2.5–5 mm diam.;

sepals (2–)3–5(–6) mm, apex acute;

petals 4–6(–8) × 3.5–6.5(–8) mm, apex rounded to slightly retuse;

stamens ca. 20, filaments 0.5–2 mm, anthers 0.4–1 mm;

carpels 20–40, styles 0.8–1.4 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate.

1.2–1.4 mm, smooth.

Rootstocks

erect, stout, 0.5–2 cm.

2n

= 28.

Potentilla ovina

Potentilla canadensis

Phenology Flowering late Mar–early Jun.
Habitat Dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil
Elevation 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; DC; DE; KY; MA; MD; ME; MO; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; SC; TN; VA; VT; WV; NS; ON
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Potentilla ovina is here accepted as an implicit new name by J. M. Macoun for P. diversifolia var. pinnatisecta, in agreement with N. H. Holmgren (1997b). In contrast, B. C. Johnston (1980) considered the names heterotypic. Potentilla ovina has priority at the species rank over P. pinnatisecta by one month.

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

A cream-colored form (ochroleuca) was described from a now-obliterated site in Massachusetts (M. L. Fernald 1931).

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

Key
1. Distal leaflets: ± whole margin pinnately incised 3/4+ to midvein, teeth 4–9(–11), linear, surfaces grayish, rarely green, hairs sparse to dense.
var. ovina
1. Distal leaflets: distal 1/4–1/2(–3/4) of margin unevenly to pinnately incised 1/2–2/3(–3/4) to midvein, teeth 2–5(–7), ovate to oblong, surfaces green, hairs absent (except on margins) or sparse.
var. decurrens
Source FNA vol. 9, p. 171. FNA vol. 9, p. 134.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla
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. 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. 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. 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. ovina var. decurrens, P. ovina var. ovina
Synonyms P. diversifolia var. pinnatisecta, P. pinnatisecta, P. plattensis var. pinnatisecta P. canadensis var. pumila, P. canadensis var. villosissima, P. caroliniana, P. pumila
Name authority J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 498. (1753)
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