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sheep cinquefoil

Townsend's cinquefoil

Habit Plants rosetted to ± matted; taproots sometimes ± fleshy-thickened.
Glands

absent or inconspicuous, uncolored.

Stems

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

ascending to nearly erect, (1–)2–5(–7.5) dm.

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.

usually not in ranks, palmate, rarely subpalmate, (2–)5–20(–30) cm;

petiole (1–)2–15(–25) cm, long hairs usually absent or sparse and appressed, sometimes common and spreading, 1–1.5 mm, stiff, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent;

leaflets 5–7(–8), usually on tip, rarely on less than distal 1/10, of leaf axis, separate, largest ones narrowly oblanceolate-elliptic, (1.5–)2–5(–6) × 0.5–1.2(–1.5) cm, margins flat, distal (1/4–)1/2–3/4 evenly incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, undivided medial blade 4–11 mm wide, teeth (2–)4–8(–9) per side, mostly broadly lanceolate, 1–2 mm, surfaces similar, green, not glaucous, long hairs usually absent or limited to veins and margins, short, crisped, and cottony hairs absent, glands absent.

Cauline leaves

1–2.

1–3.

Inflorescences

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

(5–)10–20(–25)-flowered.

Pedicels

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

0.7–3(–3.5) 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 elliptic, (2–)2.5–5(–6) × 0.5–1(–1.4) mm, hairs sparse, ± appressed, glands absent;

hypanthium 3.5–5 mm diam.;

sepals 4–8(–9) mm, apex acute to long acuminate;

petals 5–10 × 5–10(–12) mm;

filaments 1–3 mm, anthers (0.5–)0.6–1 mm;

carpels 15–30, styles filiform above papillate-swollen base, (1–)1.5–2 mm.

Achenes

1.5–2 mm, smooth, not carunculate.

1.1–1.6 mm.

Potentilla ovina

Potentilla townsendii

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Edges of meadows, dry gravelly flats and slopes, in montane to subalpine conifer woodlands, mixed grassland communities
Elevation (2300–)2700–3700 m ((7500–)8900–12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Chihuahua)
[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.)

Although previously applied only to collections from Chihuahua, Mexico, Potentilla townsendii is here used to accommodate most plants from Arizona and New Mexico previously placed in P. glaucophylla (as P. diversifolia Lehmann). Plants have narrow, shallowly toothed leaflets; stems, petioles, and leaflet veins that are often reddish; and larger anthers than P. glaucophylla. As now circumscribed, P. townsendii is known in the United States primarily from the White Mountains of east-central Arizona and the high mountains of northern New Mexico. Whether these plants are truly conspecific with those from Chihuahua, Mexico, remains to be confirmed. The species might also occur in Colorado and Utah, but the best disposition of these problematic populations is uncertain. Somewhat hairy plants with subpalmate leaves are interpreted as introgression from P. hippiana or other species.

(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. 153.
Parent taxa Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Multijugae Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Graciles
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. tikhomirovii, 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) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 28: 174. (1901)
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