Potentilla supina
Potentilla basaltica
bushy cinquefoil, spreading cinquefoil
Black Rock potentilla, Soldier Meadow or Black Rock cinquefoil, soldier meadows cinquefoil
± prostrate, sometimes ascending in supporting vegetation, 1.5–5 dm, lengths 2–3 times basal leaves.
pinnate with distal leaflets ± confluent, 5–12(–18) × 1–1.5(–2) cm;
petiole 0.5–1(–1.5) cm, straight hairs absent, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse;
primary lateral leaflets (5–)10–15(–20) per side, on nearly whole leaf axis, ± overlapping, largest ones (or leaflet lobes) elliptic, 0.4–1(–2) × 0.2–0.5(–1) cm, simple and entire or 2(–3)-fid to base (sometimes shallowly toothed as well), segments 1–2(–3), narrowly to broadly elliptic, 4–10(–20) × (1–)2–3 mm, apical tufts absent or less than 0.5 mm, surfaces green, glaucous, straight hairs absent or sparse to common, tightly appressed, 0.5 mm or less, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.
2–4.
(5–)10–20-flowered, loosely cymose.
0.8–3(–4) cm, straight to ± recurved in fruit.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate-elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 1.5–2.5(–3) × 1 mm;
hypanthium 2–5 mm diam.;
sepals (3–)4–5(–6) mm, apex acute to acuminate;
petals (3.5–)4.5–6.5 × 2.5–4 mm;
filaments 1.5–3 mm, anthers 0.6–0.8 mm;
carpels 3–10, styles 2–2.5 mm.
1.8–2.2 mm, smooth to ± rugose, not carunculate.
Potentilla supina
Potentilla basaltica
Subspecies 7 (1 in the flora).
The status of Potentilla supina in North America is open to question, given the otherwise Eurasian and northern African distribution of the species and ease of transport by migratory waterfowl. Although North American material has commonly been treated as a distinct species (P. paradoxa), E. Hultén and M. Fries (1986) went so far as to consider P. supina introduced in North America. The use of subspecies within a broadly defined P. supina follows J. Soják (1987, 1993) and is also adopted by A. Kurtto et al. (in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Potentilla basaltica is very distinctive in its glaucous, highly divided cylindric leaves with leaflets arranged in four ranks. The leaves strongly resemble those of some species of Ivesia, especially I. kingii S. Watson, but molecular analysis (B. Ertter et al. 1998) confirms a relationship with other members of sect. Multijugae.
Potentilla basaltica is known from only two localities, one in Lassen County, California, and the other in Humboldt County, Nevada. Both populations are highly localized, and P. basaltica is a candidate for federal listing as well as of conservation concern in both states.
The epithet basaltica was chosen as a reference to the Black Rock Desert, not habitat.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
Flora NW, 
IL Wildflowers, 
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LA Plants, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
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