Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla johnstonii
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
sagebrush cinquefoil
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
0.4–2 dm, lengths 2 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.
palmate, 3–8(–13) cm;
petiole 1.5–5(–8) cm, straight hairs abundant, ± appressed, 1–2 mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands sparse to abundant;
leaflets (3–)5–7(–9), on tip or at least less than distal 1/10 of leaf axis, separate to slightly overlapping, proximal pair separated from others by 0–1 mm of leaf axis, central leaflets narrowly cuneate to oblanceolate, 1–3(–4) × 0.3–0.7 cm, petiolule 1 mm, distal 1/4 or less of margins incised 1/3–2/3 to midvein, teeth 1(–3) per side, separate, 1–2(–4) mm, surfaces similar, green to grayish, straight hairs sparse to common, appressed, 1–1.5(–2) mm, stiff (sometimes softer and wavy), cottony hairs absent, glands sparse to abundant.
1–2(–3).
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
4–11-flowered.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
0.7–2(–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, 2–4 × 1 mm;
hypanthium 3–4(–6) mm diam.;
sepals 3–4.5 mm, apex acute to obtuse;
petals 5–7 × 3–5 mm;
filaments 1–2.5 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.
2.5 mm, smooth to slightly rugose.
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla johnstonii
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 johnstonii occurs only in the Quinn Canyon Range in Nye County. Its distinctiveness was first noted by B. C. Johnston (1980), who treated it as a variety of P. concinna using the unpublished epithet curvata.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
OR
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
