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sheep cinquefoil

alpine cinquefoil, potentille de crantz

Habit Plants rosetted to ± matted; taproots sometimes ± fleshy-thickened. Plants tufted to ± matted; caudex branches usually short, stout, sometimes elongate, slender.
Stems

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

ascending to erect, 0.5–2(–3) dm, lengths 1.5–3 times basal leaves.

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.

2-ranked, usually palmate, sometimes ternate, 2–10(–15) cm;

stipules: apex obtuse to truncate, rarely acute;

petiole 0.5–6.5(–10) cm, long hairs usually ± sparse, usually ± ascending, sometimes spreading or appressed, 1–2.5 mm, weak to ± stiff, glands absent or sparse;

leaflets 3–5, central obovate, 1.5–3(–3.5) × 0.8–1.5(–2) cm, petiolule 0–1 mm, margins flat, not lobed, distal 1/2–2/3 evenly incised 1/3–1/2 to midvein, teeth 3–4(–5) per side, not secondarily toothed, surfaces similar, green, not glaucous, hairs absent or sparse, rarely common, 0.8–1.5 mm, glands absent or sparse to abundant (fewer adaxially).

Cauline leaves

1–2.

Inflorescences

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

(2–)3–8(–12)-flowered.

Pedicels

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

straight, 1–3(–4) cm in flower, to 6 cm in fruit.

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.

epicalyx bractlets ovate or narrowly ovate, (1.5–)2.5–4 × (0.8–)1–1.3 mm, margins flat;

hypanthium 3–4 mm diam.;

sepals (3–)4–5(–6) mm, apex broadly acute;

petals yellow, 4–7(–9) × 4–8 mm;

filaments 1.8–2.2 mm, anthers 0.3–0.6 mm;

carpels 30–40, styles columnar-filiform, not papillate-swollen proximally, 1–1.6 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate.

1.2 mm.

2n

= 42; 28, 35, 49 (Europe).

Potentilla ovina

Potentilla crantzii

Phenology Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat Herb meadows and slopes, usually on calcareous substrates, usually near coast
Elevation 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
NL; NU; ON; QC; Greenland; Eurasia [Reportedly introduced in s Australia]
[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.)

Potentilla crantzii is primarily European, not restricted to coasts as in North America. The nomenclatural history is long and complex (A. Kurtto et al. in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13), with P. alpestris and P. maculata in greatest historical use. The name P. ×protea Soják is available for presumed hybrids between P. crantzii and P. hyparctica.

The emphasis on two-ranked leaves to distinguish Potentilla crantzii from P. verna follows J. Soják (pers. comm.). Some collections of P. crantzii from Newfoundland approach P. verna in their more elongate caudex branches and shorter stature.

(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. 190.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Aureae
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. canadensis, P. concinna, P. cottamii, 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 Fragaria crantzii, P. alpestris, P. crantzii var. hirta, P. flabellifolia var. hirta, P. langeana, P. maculata
Name authority J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) (Crantz) Beck ex Fritsch: Excursionfl. Oesterreich 295. (1897)
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