Potentilla simplex |
Potentilla biflora |
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common cinquefoil, old-field cinquefoil, old-field five-fingers, potentille simple, simple cinquefoil |
two-flower cinquefoil |
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Stems | initially erect to ascending to 5 dm, then arching above ground-level, becoming prostrate, flagelliform, not branched, rooting at distal nodes, (0.5–)1.5–12 dm. |
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Basal leaves | persistent or ephemeral, usually palmate, 3.5–20 cm; petiole 1–15 cm, long hairs ± abundant, appressed to spreading, (0.5–)1–3 mm, weak to ± stiff, glands absent or sparse, sometimes common; leaflets 5(–7), central narrowly elliptic to obovate, 1.5–5 × 0.5–2.5 cm, distal 1/2–3/4 of margin incised 1/4–1/3 to midvein, teeth 4–8(–13) per side, surfaces similar to ± dissimilar, abaxial green to silvery white, sparsely to abundantly hairy, adaxial green, glabrate or sparsely to moderately hairy. |
petiole 1–4 cm, long hairs absent or sparse, 1.5–2 mm, crisped hairs absent or sparse; leaflet lobes linear, 10–20 × 1–2 mm, surfaces with long hairs sparse or absent. |
Cauline leaves | (0–)1 proximal to 1st flowering node, well expanded at anthesis, usually palmate, 2.5–6(–9) cm; petiole 0–2(–4) cm; leaflets (3–)5, often more elongate than those of basal leaves, ± elliptic to oblanceolate, sometimes obovate, 1.5–6(–7.5) × 0.5–2(–3) cm, apex acute to obtuse. |
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Inflorescences | solitary flowers at stolon nodes. |
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Pedicels | 1–5(–8.5) cm. |
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Flowers | 5(–6)-merous; epicalyx bractlets linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2–5 × 1–1.5(–2) mm, often larger than sepals (especially in bud); hypanthium 3–5 mm diam.; sepals 4–6 mm, apex broadly acute; petals 4–7 × 3–6 mm, apex rounded to ± retuse; stamens ca. 20, filaments 0.5–2 mm, anthers 0.6–1 mm; carpels 20–50, styles 0.8–1.5 mm. |
epicalyx bractlets oblong, ovate, or lanceolate, 2.5–4 × 0.4–1.3 mm; sepals 3.5–5 mm, apex acute to apiculate; petals 6–10 × 4–10 mm; filaments 2.8–4 mm, anthers 0.6 mm; carpels 15–25. |
Achenes | 0.9–1.2 mm, faintly rugose. |
1.5–2 mm. |
Rootstocks | horizontal, irregularly thickened or moniliform, 1–8 cm. |
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2n | = 14. |
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Potentilla simplex |
Potentilla biflora |
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Phenology | Flowering (Mar–)Apr–Jul(–Aug). | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Dry or infrequently moist flats and slopes in pastures, dry meadows, roadsides, old fields, edges of mixed oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil | Dryas fellfields, gravel terraces, well-drained soil, often with seasonal seepage, on calcareous substrates |
Elevation | 0–800 m (0–2600 ft) | 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; CT; DC; DE; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; VT; WI; WV; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC; SPM
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AK; BC; NT; NU; YT; Asia |
Discussion | The distinction between Potentilla simplex and P. canadensis is subtle, and the former is often misidentified as the latter; additional features to distinguish the two species are provided by M. L. Fernald (1931). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In North America, Potentilla biflora is mostly Beringian, barely reaching northern British Columbia and western Northwest Territories, with one locality in Nunavut (southern Victoria Island). The amphi-Beringian range is strongly isolated from other Asian populations, the closest being in the Altai Mountains of south-central Siberia. Two varieties are accepted in China (Li C. L. et al. 2003c), with North American plants falling in var. biflora. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 9, p. 134. | FNA vol. 9, p. 131. |
Parent taxa | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Potentilla | Rosaceae > subfam. Rosoideae > tribe Potentilleae > Potentilla > sect. Biflorae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | P. canadensis var. simplex, P. simplex var. argyrisma, P. simplex var. calvescens | |
Name authority | Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 303. (1803) | D. F. K. Schlechtendal: Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin Mag. Neuesten Entdeck. Gesammten Naturk. 7: 297. (1816) |
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