Potentilla rivalis
Potentilla verna
brook cinquefoil, brook or river cinquefoil, river cinquefoil, streambank cinquefoil
spring cinquefoil
decumbent to erect, sometimes prostrate, (0.5–)1–4(–7) dm, hairs at base not stiff, not tubercle-based, glands absent or sparse, inconspicuous.
prostrate to decumbent, rarely weakly erect, 0.3–1.5 dm, lengths 1–2(–3) times basal leaves.
ternate, palmate, or subpalmate (with distal leaflets ± confluent), basal 3–15(–25) cm, cauline 2–7(–12) cm;
petiole: basal 1–9(–16) cm, cauline 0.5–4(–8) cm, long hairs usually common to abundant, ascending to spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm, usually ± weak, ± crisped hairs common to abundant, glands absent or sparse, inconspicuous;
leaflets 3–5(–7), at tip to distal 1/5 (basal) or 1/2 (cauline) of leaf axis, separate to ± overlapping, largest ones oblanceolate-elliptic to obovate, (0.5–)1–5(–6) × 0.5–2(–2.5) cm, distal 1/2–3/4 of margin evenly to unevenly incised 1/3–1/2 to midvein, sometimes cleft nearly to base, teeth 3–8 per side, surfaces moderately to abundantly hairy, glands absent or sparse.
not in ranks, palmate, 2–5(–10) cm;
stipules: apex acuminate to acute, rarely obtuse;
petiole 1–6 cm, long hairs common, ascending to appressed, 1–2.5 mm, weak to ± stiff, glands absent or sparse;
leaflets 5–7, central oblanceolate to obovate, (0.8–)1–3 × 0.4–1.5 cm, petiolule 0–2 mm, margins flat, not lobed, distal 1/4–1/2(–2/3) evenly incised ± 1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–4(–5) per side, surfaces similar, green, hairs absent especially adaxially or sparse, 0.5–1.5(–2) mm, glands absent or sparse.
(5–)20–100+-flowered.
3–5(–6)-flowered.
0.2–1(–2) cm.
often recurved, 1–3(–4) cm, not much longer in fruit than in flower.
epicalyx bractlets narrowly elliptic to ovate, (1.5–)2–4(–6) × 0.8–1.5 mm;
hypanthium (2–)3–5 mm diam.;
sepals 3–5 mm, apex broadly acute to obtuse;
petals pale yellow to yellow, broadly oblong-obovate, 1.5–2 × 1 mm;
stamens (5–)10(–15), filaments 0.4–0.9 mm, anthers 0.2–0.3 mm;
carpels 40–100, styles 0.5–0.6 mm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate, 3.5–5 × 1–1.5 mm, margins flat;
hypanthium 2–4 mm diam.;
sepals 3–5 mm, apex broadly acute to obtuse;
petals yellow, 5–8(–10) × 4–6 mm;
filaments 0.8–2 mm, anthers 0.5–0.8 mm;
carpels 40–60, styles ± columnar, not papillate-swollen proximally, 1 mm.
yellowish, 0.7–0.9 mm, ± smooth, without a corky protuberance.
1.5–2 mm.
= 14, 70.
= 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 84 (Europe).
Potentilla rivalis
Potentilla verna
Potentilla rivalis is most abundant in central and western North America; reports of occurrences in more eastern states (including those listed here) need confirming, as P. rivalis and P. norvegica often have been confused. Potentilla leucocarpa Rydberg was provided as a superfluous replacement name for P. millegrana; specimens annotated by Rydberg with this name include both P. biennis and P. rivalis.
Potentilla rivalis is sometimes divided into three species or varieties (for example, H. J. Scoggan 1978–1979). In a strict sense, var. rivalis has subpalmately compound (5-foliate) leaves. Variety milligrana, the most common phase, has 3-foliate leaves. Plants with both 3- and 5-foliolate leaves are var. pentandra, which also tends to have five stamens, though this latter character is not correlated with the leaf features. On the Great Plains, where var. pentandra is confined, all three expressions are often found in a single population (R. L. McGregor 1986b).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The use of the name Potentilla verna here reflects the successful proposal by J. Soják (2009) to conserve P. verna with a conserved type. Alternatives in recent use include P. neumanniana Reichenbach (misapplied) and P. tabernaemontani. The species has an established horticultural presence, primarily as a ground cover, and is to be expected in North America beyond where reported here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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