Potentilla norvegica : Snowy Cinquefoil

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: norvegica (Lat. for 'of Norway' where this plant was first described.)

English Name(s):

Snowy Cinquefoil, Rough Cinquefoil, Norwegian Cinquefoil

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plant arising from a taproot.
• Stems simple or branched above, 10 -100cm (usually 40cm) tall, leafy, hirsute (stiff-hairy).

Leaves:

• Leaves mostly cauline (on stem), ternate (3-parted).
• Lower most leaves with long petioles (stalks).
• Leaflets obovate to oblanceolate in shape.
• Margins coasely toothed.
• Upper surface green, sparsely hirsute (stiff-hairy).
• Lower surface paler, hirsute especially along the viens.

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower cluster) several to many flowered, dense and leafy.
• Flowers small inconspicuous.
• Sepals 5, 4-6mm long, ovate-lanceolate in shape, enlarging in fruit.
• Bracteoles ovate to lanceolate in shape, 3.5-6mm long, usually toothed.
• Petals pale yellow or whitish, 2.5-3.6mm long, shorter than sepals, obovate in shape, notched at the tip.

Seed:

• Fruit is a small, dry, seedlike, achene (nutlet).
• Achenes numerous, about 1mm long.

Not to Be Confused With:

• Potentilla nivea whose sepals are shorter 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:

• Annual or biennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves and stems deciduous (falling).

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Weedy habit, redily invading areas of disturbed soil, clearings, or burns.

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: