Potentilla ovina |
Potentilla pulchella |
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sheep cinquefoil |
potentille jolie, pretty 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. |
ascending, 0.1–1.5(–2) dm. |
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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. |
subpinnate, 1.5–9 cm; petiole 0.7–4 cm, long hairs common to dense, ± appressed to ascending, 0.5–3 mm, soft, short hairs absent, crisped hairs sparse to abundant, glands absent or sparse; leaflets (1–)2(–3) per side, on distal 1/6–1/2 of leaf axis, separate to overlapping, terminal ones oblong or obovate, 0.4–3 × 0.2–1.2 cm, margins revolute, incised 2/3–3/4+ to midvein, undivided medial blade 2–6 mm wide, teeth 2–5 per side, linear to narrowly oblong, surfaces dissimilar, abaxial white, long hairs ± abundant, 1–2 mm, soft, short hairs absent or obscured, crisped and/or cottony hairs dense, glands absent or obscured, adaxial grayish white to dark grayish green, long hairs sparse to dense, loosely appressed to spreading, 0.5–2 mm, short hairs absent, crisped hairs absent or sparse, glands absent. |
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Cauline leaves | 1–2. |
1–2. |
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Inflorescences | (1–)2–11(–20)-flowered, usually openly cymose. |
(1–)2–5(–9)-flowered, ± open. |
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Pedicels | (0.8–)1–2(–4) cm, straight to ± recurved in fruit. |
0.5–1 cm (proximal to 5 cm). |
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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. |
epicalyx bractlets oblong to ovate, 2–4(–6) × 0.8–1.3(–2) mm, lengths ± 3/4 times sepals, margins sometimes revolute; hypanthium 2.5–4 mm diam.; sepals 3–5 mm, apex obtuse to subacute, abaxial surfaces: venation indistinct, glands ± abundant, often obscured; petals pale yellow, 4–5 × 2–3 mm, lengths 1.5 times sepals; filaments 1–1.5 mm, anthers 0.4 mm; carpels 30–60, styles papillate-swollen in proximal 1/4–1/3, 0.9–1.2 mm. |
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Achenes | 1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate. |
1.4–1.5 mm, smooth or rugose. |
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2n | = 28. |
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Potentilla ovina |
Potentilla pulchella |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | |||||
Habitat | Dry or damp, open tundra, silt flats, stream and seashore banks, bird cliff meadows, fine scree, on loam, clay, or calcareous substrates | |||||
Elevation | 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) | |||||
Distribution |
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
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AK; MB; NL; NT; NU; ON; QC; YT; Greenland; Eurasia |
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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.) |
Potentilla pulchella is morphologically isolated within sect. Pensylvanicae and is very polymorphic. The proposed races (var. elatior, subsp./var. gracilicaulis) differ only in characters appearing throughout the range of the species (more slender and erect to ascending stems, less hairy leaves). Some different morphs are often found close together but in different habitats. Some species with palmate or subpalmate leaves combine features of Potentilla pulchella and species from sect. Niveae (addressed under 8t. sect. Rubricaules); others are possible hybrids between P. hyparctica and P. pulchella (sect. Aureae). (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. 217. | ||||
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Pensylvanicae | ||||
Sibling taxa | ||||||
Subordinate taxa | ||||||
Synonyms | P. diversifolia var. pinnatisecta, P. pinnatisecta, P. plattensis var. pinnatisecta | P. pulchella var. elatior, P. pulchella subsp. gracilicaulis, P. pulchella var. gracilicaulis, P. usticapensis | ||||
Name authority | J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) | R. Brown: Chlor. Melvill., 19. (1823) | ||||
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