Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla basaltica
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
Black Rock potentilla, Soldier Meadow or Black Rock cinquefoil, soldier meadows cinquefoil
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
± prostrate, sometimes ascending in supporting vegetation, 1.5–5 dm, lengths 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.
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.
1–2(–3).
2–4.
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
(5–)10–20-flowered, loosely cymose.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
0.8–3(–4) cm, straight to ± recurved 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 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.
1.5–1.8 mm, smooth to faintly rugose, not carunculate.
1.8–2.2 mm, smooth to ± rugose, not carunculate.
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla basaltica
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 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.)
OR
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
