Potentilla pensylvanica : Pensylvania 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: pensylvanica (of Pensylvania)

Synonym(s): P. pectinata

English Name(s):

Pensylvania Cinquefoil, Prairie Cinquefoil

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Plant loosely to densely tufted.
• Caudex (base) simple or branched, erect or ascending, covered with marcescent (withered) stipules (appendages).
• Stems few to several, 25-75cm high, simple or branching above, thinly tomentos (woolly), usually with 3 or 4 evenly spaced cauline (on stem) leaves each reduced above.

Leaves:

• Cauline (stem) and basal leaves simmilar.
• Pinnate with 5-9 leaflets.
• Leaflets oblong to oblanceolate in shape, divided halfway or nearly to midrib into linear-oblong segments.
• Undersurface often white-tomentos (Woolly).

Reproductive Parts:

• Inflorescence (flower clusters) somewhat congested in one to several clusters.
• Sepals 5, short, soft-pubescent (hairy).
• Bracteoles 5, alternating with sepals, short, soft-pubescent.
• Petals bright-yellow, not much longer than sepals.
• Style (female part) thick and glandular at base.

Seed:

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

Not to Be Confused With:

• Potentilla anserina (Silverweed) is the only potentilla (Cinquefoil) with at all simmilar pinnate leaves. It can be distinguished by its runners and shorter stature.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling).

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Dry praries, bluffs, dunes, and mountain slpoes to near treeline.

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: