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sheep cinquefoil

Habit Plants rosetted to ± matted; taproots sometimes ± fleshy-thickened. Plants ± tufted.
Caudex branches

slender to stout, not columnar, not sheathed with marcescent whole leaves.

Stems

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

± ascending, sometimes nearly erect, 0.5–1.5(–3) dm, lengths 2–4 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.

2–4 cm;

petiole 1–2.5 cm, long hairs common to abundant, spreading to ascending, rarely loosely appressed, 1–2 mm, ± stiff, verrucose, short-crisped hairs sparse to abundant, sometimes nearly absent, cottony hairs absent, glands sparse;

leaflets ± overlapping, central elliptic to obovate, 1–1.5 × 0.6–1.1 cm, petiolulate, base broadly cuneate, margins flat or slightly revolute, distal ± 2/3 incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth (3–)4 per side, ± approximate, surfaces ± dissimilar, abaxial reddish or greenish gray to white, long hairs 1 mm, cottony-crisped hairs common to dense, adaxial green or reddish to gray-green, long hairs sparse to abundant, short-crisped hairs absent or sparse to common.

Cauline leaves

1–2.

0–1.

Inflorescences

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

2–5-flowered.

Pedicels

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

1–2 cm in flower, to 3(–5) 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 narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, 4–6 × 1–2.5 mm, (1/2–)2/3 to as wide as sepals, margins revolute, sometimes flat, red glands usually common, conspicuous;

hypanthium 3.5–4.5 mm diam.;

sepals 5–7 mm, apex subacute;

petals 6–8 × (4–)5–8 mm, longer than sepals;

filaments 0.7–1.2 mm, anthers 0.4 mm;

carpels 40–60, apical hairs absent, styles columnar, strongly papillate-swollen in proximal 1/5–1/3, 0.9–1 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate.

1.2–1.8 mm.

2n

= 42, 49 (Russian Far East).

Potentilla ovina

Potentilla tikhomirovii

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Dry tundra meadows, loamy soil banks, sedge-herb slopes
Elevation 0–1100 m (0–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; NT; NU; Greenland; Europe (Russia); Asia
[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 tikhomirovii is an assumed hybrid species combining characteristics from P. arenosa subsp. arenosa of sect. Niveae (abaxial leaflet surfaces with crisped-cottony hairs, adaxial surfaces with both long and short hairs, petioles often with both long and short hairs, and flower shape and size) and P. hyparctica of sect. Aureae (crisped-cottony hairs often not fully covering abaxial leaf surfaces, reddish color in most plant parts, sepals and epicalyx bractlets relatively large, broad, less acute, and with many and reddish glands, which are often also on petioles and stipules).

Potentilla tikhomirovii has an interrupted range and is not very coherent morphologically. It forms large populations locally, probably by agamic seed propagation, and is a significant part of the Potentilla variation in northern and northeastern Greenland, Ellesmere Island, and parts of the Brooks Range, northern Alaska. Both the distributional and the morphologic patterns indicate that it has evolved multiple times in different regions, such that it is a borderline case for status as an independent species. Its large populations and significant distribution in some regions support recognition, as also does the paucity of obvious back-crosses with the parents.

(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. 201.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Niveae
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. 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. 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
Name authority J. M. Macoun: Canad. Rec. Sci. 6: 464. (1896) Jurtzev: in A. I. Tolmatchew, Fl. Arct. URSS 9(1): 318. (1984)
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