Potentilla nivea :

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Genera: Potentilla (Cinquefoil) (Lat. potens=powerful; referring to the strengh of the medicine from some species)

Species: nivea

Synonym(s): P.hookeriana, P.arenosa, P.nivea var.nipharga

English Name(s):

,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plant loosely tufted.
• Caudex (base) brown, freely branching.
• Stems 10-30 cm high, erect ascending.

Leaves:

• Ternate (3-parted).
• Leaflets ovate in shape, margins deeply toothed.
• Upper surface drak green.
• Lower surface white-tomentos (woolly), viens usually visible.
• Petioles (stalks) with long and short more or less straight hairs.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers one to several.
• Sepals 5, narrowly triangular, shorter than petals, pubescent.
• Bracteoles 5, alternating with sepals, oblong-ovate in shape.
• Petals 5, yellow, about 5mm long, obcordate is shape.

Seed:

• Fruit is a small, dry, seedlike, achene (nutlet).

Not to Be Confused With:

• Potentilla norvegica (Snowy Cinquefoil) whose sepals are longer than its petals.
• Potentilla hyparctica (Arctic Cinquefoil) which is a short plant.
• Potentilla uniflora (One-flower Cinquefoil) whose leaflets are more pointy toothed.
• Potentilla elegans (Elegant Cinquefoil) which has lobed leaflets.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling).

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Open rocky and gravelly slopes.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

• In astrology Potentilla are said to be governed by Jupiter.
• In the Victorian Language of Flowers these plants symbolized "beloved daughter" or " I claim, at least, your esteem".
• Potentilla were said to flourish in the gardens of witches. One of few yellow flowers they cared for.

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: