Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla crantzii
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
alpine cinquefoil, potentille de crantz
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
ascending to erect, 0.5–2(–3) dm, lengths 1.5–3 times basal leaves.
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.
2-ranked, usually palmate, sometimes ternate, 2–10(–15) cm;
stipules: apex obtuse to truncate, rarely acute;
petiole 0.5–6.5(–10) cm, long hairs usually ± sparse, usually ± ascending, sometimes spreading or appressed, 1–2.5 mm, weak to ± stiff, glands absent or sparse;
leaflets 3–5, central obovate, 1.5–3(–3.5) × 0.8–1.5(–2) cm, petiolule 0–1 mm, margins flat, not lobed, distal 1/2–2/3 evenly incised 1/3–1/2 to midvein, teeth 3–4(–5) per side, not secondarily toothed, surfaces similar, green, not glaucous, hairs absent or sparse, rarely common, 0.8–1.5 mm, glands absent or sparse to abundant (fewer adaxially).
1–2(–3).
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
(2–)3–8(–12)-flowered.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
straight, 1–3(–4) cm in flower, to 6 cm in fruit.
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 ovate or narrowly ovate, (1.5–)2.5–4 × (0.8–)1–1.3 mm, margins flat;
hypanthium 3–4 mm diam.;
sepals (3–)4–5(–6) mm, apex broadly acute;
petals yellow, 4–7(–9) × 4–8 mm;
filaments 1.8–2.2 mm, anthers 0.3–0.6 mm;
carpels 30–40, styles columnar-filiform, not papillate-swollen proximally, 1–1.6 mm.
1.5–1.8 mm, smooth to faintly rugose, not carunculate.
1.2 mm.
= 42; 28, 35, 49 (Europe).
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla crantzii
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.)
Potentilla crantzii is primarily European, not restricted to coasts as in North America. The nomenclatural history is long and complex (A. Kurtto et al. in J. Jalas et al. 1972+, vol. 13), with P. alpestris and P. maculata in greatest historical use. The name P. ×protea Soják is available for presumed hybrids between P. crantzii and P. hyparctica.
The emphasis on two-ranked leaves to distinguish Potentilla crantzii from P. verna follows J. Soják (pers. comm.). Some collections of P. crantzii from Newfoundland approach P. verna in their more elongate caudex branches and shorter stature.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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Flora NW
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