Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla uliginosa
Steens Mountain cinquefoil, varying cinquefoil
Cunningham Marsh cinquefoil
prostrate to ascending, (0.7–)1.5–2.5(–4) dm, lengths 2–4(–5) times basal leaves.
probably prostrate to decumbent, or ± ascending in supporting vegetation, 2.5–5.5 dm, lengths 1–2 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.
pinnate with distal leaflets ± confluent, 15–32 × 2–4 cm;
petiole 5–10(–15) cm, straight hairs absent or sparse to common, appressed, 0.5–1.5 mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse;
primary lateral leaflets 6–10(–12) per side (irregularly paired), on distal ± 1/2 of leaf axis, loosely overlapping to proximally separate, largest ones cuneate to flabellate, 1.2–2.2 × 1–3 cm, ± whole margin unevenly incised 3/4 to nearly to midvein, ultimate segments (3–)5–10(–15), linear to narrowly oblanceolate, 5–17 × 1–2.5 mm, apical tufts less than 0.5 mm, surfaces green, not glaucous, straight hairs sparse (often glabrate adaxially), appressed, 0.5–1(–1.5) mm, stiff, cottony hairs absent, glands absent or sparse.
1–2(–3).
2.
(1–)3–10-flowered, usually openly cymose.
6–10-flowered, very openly cymose.
1–3(–5) cm, straight to slightly recurved in fruit.
1–6 cm, ± 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 narrowly elliptic to oblong-ovate, 4–6 × 1–2.5 mm;
hypanthium 5–6 mm diam.;
sepals 4–7 mm, apex acute;
petals 6–10 × 5–8 mm;
filaments (1.5–)2–3 mm, anthers 0.7–1.2 mm;
carpels ca. 10, styles 2.5–3.5 mm.
1.5–1.8 mm, smooth to faintly rugose, not carunculate.
2–2.6 mm, smooth, ± carunculate.
Potentilla versicolor
Potentilla uliginosa
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 uliginosa is known only from a handful of historical collections from Cunningham Marsh, one of three wetlands in southern Sonoma County that harbor a suite of disjunct and regionally rare species (B. C. Johnston and B. Ertter 2010). Although previously included in P. hickmanii, P. uliginosa differs in having woodier caudices, longer stems and leaves, and more deeply incised leaflets occupying less of the leaf axis. Potentilla uliginosa is presumed extinct; however, a morphologically comparable collection of the P. millefolia complex from Josephine County, Oregon (Deer Creek, near Selma, 14 June 1929, Applegate 5735, UC), opens the possibility of additional undiscovered populations in the mountains of northwestern California.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
OR
CalFlora
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
