Potentilla ovina |
Potentilla ovina var. ovina |
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sheep cinquefoil |
sheep cinquefoil |
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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. |
lengths (1–)1.5–2.5(–3) times basal leaves. |
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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. |
(1.5–)2–8(–10) × 0.7–2 cm; petiole (0.5–)1–2(–3) cm; lateral leaflets on distal 1/2(–2/3) of leaf axis, ± overlapping, distal leaflets ± obovate, (0.3–)0.5–1.2(–2.5) cm, ± whole margin pinnately incised 3/4+ to midvein, teeth 4–9(–11), linear, 2–6(–9) × 1 mm, surfaces grayish, rarely green, hairs sparse to abundant, 1–2 mm. |
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Cauline leaves | 1–2. |
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Inflorescences | (1–)2–11(–20)-flowered, usually openly cymose. |
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Pedicels | (0.8–)1–2(–4) cm, straight to ± recurved in fruit. |
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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. |
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Achenes | 1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate. |
1.8–2 mm. |
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Potentilla ovina |
Potentilla ovina var. ovina |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | |||||
Habitat | Fellfields, alpine ridges, rocky slopes, dry hillsides | |||||
Elevation | 1500–3800 m (4900–12500 ft) | |||||
Distribution |
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
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CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC |
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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.) |
Typical var. ovina is a tufted, grayish plant with the leaflets divided (pinnately on distal leaflets, palmately or unevenly on proximal leaflets) nearly to the midvein into linear teeth with prominent apical hair tufts. Leaflets are often folded and closely overlapping, giving the leaves a distinctive silvery cylindric appearance especially when drought-stressed. Populations around Yellowstone National Park, in particular the type of Potentilla wyomingensis, are often larger and less hairy, with larger flowers in more open inflorescences. Some collections from southeastern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming are transitional between var. ovina and P. multisecta (sect. Concinnae); their optimal placement has yet to be determined. The distribution of var. ovina given here largely matches that indicated by B. C. Johnston (1980), with the addition of southeastern British Columbia based on H. J. Scoggan (1978–1979, part 3). No record has been found to support the inclusion of Saskatchewan in the distribution, as done by C. L. Hitchcock and A. Cronquist (1961b). In Oregon, var. ovina occurs only as depauperate plants in the Wallowa Mountains; reports from Steens Mountain are mostly based on Potentilla versicolor. In Nevada, var. ovina is confirmed only from the Schell Creek Range, White Pine County. Not included here are collections from Alaska and Yukon that probably represent an undescribed taxon. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Key |
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Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 171. | FNA vol. 9, p. 172. | ||||
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae > Potentilla ovina | ||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||
Synonyms | P. diversifolia var. pinnatisecta, P. pinnatisecta, P. plattensis var. pinnatisecta | P. bipinnatifida var. glabrata, P. glabrella, P. monidensis, P. pensylvanica var. glabrata, P. wyomingensis | ||||
Name authority | J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) | unknown | ||||
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