Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla albiflora
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
Pinaleño cinquefoil, whiteflower cinquefoil
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
0.2–1.5 dm.
pinnate with distal leaflets ± confluent, 4–12 × 1–2.5(–3.5) cm;
petiole 1–3 cm, straight hairs absent (on early-season petioles) or sparse to common, spreading-ascending to loosely appressed, 1–2 mm, soft, cottony hairs usually absent, glands sparse;
primary lateral leaflets 3–5 per side, on distal (1/3–)1/2–2/3 of leaf axis, overlapping, largest ones cuneate to flabellate, 0.5–1.5(–2) × 0.5–1.5 cm, distal 3/4 to whole margin unevenly incised 2/3 to completely to midvein (blade often medially split as well), ultimate teeth or segments 2–5(–8), ± oblanceolate, 3–11 × 1–3 mm, apical tufts to 1 mm, surfaces green to grayish green, not glaucous, straight hairs sparse to common (sparser adaxially), sometimes absent (except on margins), loosely appressed to ascending, 1–2 mm, soft, cottony hairs absent, glands sparse to common.
ternate, 1.5–10 cm;
petiole 1–7 cm, long hairs ± abundant, spreading to ascending, 0.5–1(–1.5) mm, weak to stiff, glands sparse to abundant;
leaflets 3, central obovate, 0.5–2.5(–3.5) × 0.4–1.3(–2) cm, not to scarcely petiolulate, distal 1/2–2/3 of margins evenly incised ± 1/3 to midvein, teeth 3–5(–6) per side, surfaces green, long hairs ± abundant, 0.5–1 mm, glands sparse to abundant.
1–2(–3).
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
1–5(–10)-flowered.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
0.5–2 cm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate to elliptic, rarely ovate, 2–5 × 1–2 mm, sometimes apically toothed;
hypanthium 3–5 mm diam.;
sepals 4–7 mm, apex acute;
petals 4–7 × 3–5.5 mm;
filaments (1–)1.5–2.5 mm, anthers 0.5–0.8 mm;
carpels 10–25, styles 2 mm.
epicalyx bractlets lanceolate-elliptic, (1.5–)2–3(–5) × 0.5–1.5 mm;
hypanthium 3.5–6 mm diam.;
sepals 3–6(–8) mm, apex acute;
petals ± paler abaxially, bright yellow adaxially, narrowly obcordate, (3–)4–7(–8) × 3–5 mm;
filaments 2–4 mm, anthers 0.5–1 mm;
carpels 10–25, styles 2–3 mm.
1.5–1.8 mm, smooth to faintly rugose, not carunculate.
1.5 mm, smooth.
hairs not well differentiated from long hairs, absent or sparse throughout.
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla albiflora
Potentilla versicolor is most common on Steens Mountain in Harney County, Oregon. Collections are known from other mountain ranges in eastern Oregon (some possibly representing distinct taxa) and from near Island Lake in the Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada. The species often grows and, apparently, intergrades with P. breweri; it is usually distinct in its lack of cottony hairs. Petals, filaments, and styles tend to be somewhat shorter in P. versicolor than in P. breweri. Collections of P. versicolor have most often been identified as P. breweri, P. millefolia, or P. ovina.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Potentilla albiflora grows on the Pinaleño (Graham) Mountains in Graham County, with a few outlying collections known from the Mogollon Rim in Greenlee County and the Santa Catalina Mountains of Pima County.
Contrary to the specific epithet, petals of living plants are yellow, not white; like those of many Potentilla species, they tend to fade in pressed material.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
OR
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
