Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla multisecta
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
featherleaf cinquefoil, Great Basin cinquefoil
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
0.5–2(–2.7) dm, lengths 1–2(–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.
usually palmate, sometimes subpalmate, 3–12(–15) cm;
petiole 1–6(–13) cm, straight hairs ± abundant, ± appressed, 1–1.5 mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse;
leaflets (3–)5, usually on tip, sometimes to distal 1/4 of leaf axis, ± overlapping, proximal pair separated from others by 0–10 mm of leaf axis, central leaflets ± obovate, 1–2.5(–4) × (0.5–)1–1.5(–2) cm, petiolule 0–2 mm, distal 1/2+ of margins incised 3/4+ to midvein, teeth 2–5 per side, separate, 3–10(–14) mm, surfaces similar, green to grayish, straight hairs sparse to abundant, appressed, 1–1.5 mm, usually stiff, short crisped hairs sometimes present, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.
1–2(–3).
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
(1–)2–6(–10)-flowered.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
1–3(–4) 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 to narrowly ovate, 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm;
hypanthium 3–5 mm diam.;
sepals 3–5(–6) mm, apex ± acute;
petals (2.5–)5–7 × (2–)4–5 mm;
filaments 1–2 mm, anthers 0.6–1 mm;
carpels 5–20, styles 2–3 mm.
1.5–1.8 mm, smooth to faintly rugose, not carunculate.
2–2.5 mm, smooth.
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla multisecta
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.)
The center of distribution of Potentilla multisecta is northeastern Nevada and northwestern Utah; the best disposition of more northern populations, which tend to be hairier and more compact, is unresolved. Populations in eastern Idaho, southwestern Montana, and western Wyoming are components of an unresolved zone of apparent intergradation that also includes P. ovina var. ovina (sect. Multijugae), P. glaucophylla var. perdissecta (sect. Graciles), and members of sect. Subjugae. Significant variation also exists among populations in Nevada and Utah. Not included here are some subpalmate collections from Saskatchewan that would key to P. multisecta (for example, A. Breitung 4045, MO, RM), whose optimum disposition has yet to be resolved.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
OR
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
