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sheep cinquefoil

Macoun's 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.

0.4–1.5(–2) dm, lengths 2 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.

subpinnate to pinnate, usually at least 2 pairs of leaflets separate from terminal leaflets, distal leaflets often confluent, 2–7 cm;

petiole 1–4(–8) cm, straight hairs abundant, ± appressed to ascending, 1–2 mm, stiff to weak, cottony hairs sometimes present, glands absent or obscured;

leaflets 5–9(–11), on distal 1/5–1/2 of leaf axis, strongly overlapping, proximal pair separate from others by 1–5 mm of leaf axis, central leaflets oblanceolate to obovate, sometimes lobed, (0.5–)1–1.5 × 0.5–1 cm, petiolules 0–1 mm, distal 2/3 of margins incised 1/2+ to midvein, teeth 2–5 per side, touching, 1–3 mm, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial white, straight hairs ± abundant, ± appressed, 1–1.5 mm, weak to stiff, cottony hairs ± dense, glands absent or obscured, adaxial greenish gray, straight hairs sparse to abundant, usually appressed, sometimes ascending, 1 mm, usually ± stiff, sometimes soft, cottony hairs sparse, glands obscured.

Cauline leaves

1–2.

Inflorescences

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

(1–)3–6(–10)-flowered.

Pedicels

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

0.8–2 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.

epicalyx bractlets lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, 2.5–4 × 0.8–1.5 mm;

hypanthium 3–4 mm diam.;

sepals (3–)3.5–5.5(–6) mm, apex ± acute;

petals 6–7 × 5–7 mm;

filaments 1.5–3 mm, anthers 0.8–1 mm;

carpels 15–20, styles 2–2.5 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate.

1.5–2 mm, smooth.

Potentilla ovina

Potentilla macounii

Phenology Flowering early summer.
Habitat Rocky slopes, outcrops, gravel banks, prairies
Elevation 1200–2200 m (3900–7200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
MT; AB
[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.)

Of conservation concern.

Potentilla macounii differs from other species in sect. Concinnae in the combination of subpinnate leaves, with at least two proximal pairs of leaflets separated from the terminal leaflets, and in having somewhat softer hairs. It occurs on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Alberta (where of conservation concern) and in western Montana. Some problematic collections from the Absaroka Range in western Wyoming are most comparable to P. macounii, but have softer vestiture and somewhat larger, less divided, more subpalmate leaves. If these Wyoming populations were included in P. macounii, the upper elevation range would be 3300 m.

(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. 180.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Concinnae
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. 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. 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. concinna var. macounii
Name authority J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) Rydberg: Monogr. N. Amer. Potentilleae, 101, plate 41, figs. 1, 2. (1898)
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