Potentilla
(a kind of diminutive from potens, powerful; alluding to the reputed medicinal power, of which these plants really possess very little, being merely mild astringents, like the rest of the tribe). Cinquefoil. Including Comarum, Horkelia, Sibbaldia, and Tormentilla. ORD. Rosaceoe. A large genus of glabrous, pilose,or silky-tomentose, mostly hardy sub-shrubs or herbs, rarely annuals. According to the authors of the "Genera Plantarum," the species number about 120, although upwards of 220 have been accorded specific rank by various authors. They are natives of the temperate and frigid regions of the Northern hemisphere, rarely occurring in the tropics; only two species have been found in the Southern hemisphere. Flowers white or yellow, very rarely red or purple, often disposed in corymbose cymes, rarely axillary and solitary; calyx persistent, with a concave, hemispherical, or urceolate tube, and five (rarely four) erect or spreading, triangular-ovate, valvate lobes; petals five (rarely four), obovate, orbiculate, or linear-spathulate; stamens usually numerous. Leaves alternate, or the floral ones opposite, digitately three to seven-foliolate or impari-pinnate; leaflets solitary, or bi-or ternate, often lobed or divided; stipules adnate to the base of the petioles. Several species of this genus are very desirable subjects for rockwork, bare banks, and similar situations; they thrive in almost any moderately good garden soil, but a sandy one is preferable. Potentillas may be readily propagated by division, or by seeds. Some of the hybrid forms are of far more importance to horticulturists than the typical species. The undermentioned are hardy herbaceous perennials, except where otherwise specified. P. alba (white). fl. white, with a dark orange ring at the base, nearly 1in. across; petals obcordate, longer than the calyx; pedicels axillary and terminal. February to August. l., lower ones quinate, upper ones ternate. Stems procumbent, weak. European Alps, &c.
P. alpestris (mountain). fl. bright yellow, about 1in. across, with cordate petals and acute sepals; pedicels axillary and terminal, long. July. l., radical ones of five, rarely of seven, wedge-shaped, rather hairy leaflets, deeply cut in the upper half. Stems ascending. h. 6in. to 12in. Europe, &c. (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 429.)
P. ambigua (doubtful).* fl. rich yellow, about 1in. across, and just overtopping the dense carpet of foliage. June. l. green, forming a dwarf, dense mass. h. 6in. Himalaya, 1851. A creeping plant, of free growth. (B. M. 4613.)
P. arguta (sharply-serrated). fl. pale yellow, in a crowded, dichotomous panicle; petals obovate, entire, longer than the calyx. June and July. l. pinnate; leaflets roundish-ovate, oblique at base, doubly and deeply toothed. Stem erect, pubescent. h. 1ft. to 3ft. North America, 1826. (B. R. 1379.)
P. argyrophylla (silvery-leaved).* fl. yellow, 3/4 in. to 1 1/4 in. in diameter; petals obcordate-cuneate; calyx silky. Summer. l., leaflets sessile or slightly stalked, green, finely silky above, white beneath; teeth acute. h. 1 1/2ft. to 3ft. Himalaya. SYN. P. insignis (B. R. 1841, 37).
P. a. atrosanguinea (dark blood-coloured). fl. of a beautiful dark crimson. Himalaya, 1822. SYN. P. atrosanguinea (L. B. C. 786; B. M. 2689).
P. atrosanguinea (dark red). A synonym of P. argyrophylla atrosanguinea. P. Clusiana (Clusius). fl. in terminal corymbs; corolla white, large; petals roundish, hardly longer than the calyx. June to August. l., radical ones quinate, cauline ones ternate; leaflets oval-cuneiform, pubescent, tridendate at apex, with connivent teeth. h. 6in. Eastern Europe, &c., 1806. (B. M. 1327; J. F. A. 116.)
P. Comarum (Comarum). Marsh Cinquefoil or Potentil. This is the correct name of the plant described in this work as Comarum palustre.
P. congesta (crowded).* fl. crowded, terminal; corolla white; petals longer than the calyx; outer calyx segments quite entire. August. l., radical ones pinnate; leaflets cuneate oblong, cut at the apex. h. 1ft. to 2ft. California, 1826. (B. M. 2880, under name of Horkelia congesta.)
P. formosa (beautiful). A synonym of P. nepalensis.
P. fruticosa (shrubby).* fl. yellow, sub-corymbose, numerous, small, with obovate-roundish petals, longer than the calyx. Summer. l. pinnate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, quite entire, hairy. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Northern hemisphere (Britain). Shrub. (Sy. En. B. 436.)
P. gracilis (slender). fl. golden-yellow; petals obcordate, longer than the silky calyx. July. l. quinate, lower ones on long petioles, upper ones sessile; leaflets lanceolate, deeply and pinnatifidly serrated, white-tomentose beneath. Stem hairy, corymbosely panicled at apex. h. 1ft. to 2ft. North America, 1826. (B. M. 2984.)
P. grandiflora (large-flowered). fl. yellow, large; petals obcordate, twice the length of the calyx; receptacle pilose. June and July. l. ternate; leaflets obovate, cuneate at base, deeply serrated, pilose. South Europe, 1640. Plant ascending. (B. M. 75.) P. Hopwoodiana (Hopwood's).* fl., petals beautifully variegated, marked with a spot of deep rose-colour at the base, and from it to the centre of a pale straw-colour, edged with bright rose-colour. June and July. l., lower ones with five or six leaflets, upper ones ternate; leaflets oblong-cuneiform, coarsely toothed, hairy on both surfaces. h. 1 1/2ft. A hybrid. (B. R. 1387; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 61.)
P. insignis (remarkable). A synonym of P. argyrophylla.
P. laciniosa (jagged-leaved). fl. yellow, disposed in corymbose panicles; petals obcordate, much longer than the calyx. June and July. l. with five to seven oblong, laciniately-pinnatifid, pilose leaflets. Stem erect, reddish. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Hungary, 1816. A sub-species of P. recta. (B. R. 1478.)
P. lupinoides (Lupine-like). A synonym of P. nivalis.
P. minima (smallest). fl. yellow; calyx segments shorter than the corolla. May and June. l. ternate, smoothish above, but pilose beneath; leaflets obovate, short, crenated, and rather retuse. h. 3in. Alps, 1818. (L. B. C. 480.)
P. missourica (Missouri). A synonym of P. pennsylvanica.
P. nepalensis (Nepaul). This species is very like P. argyrophylla atrosanguinea, but has quinate, radical leaves. Himalaya. SYN. P. formosa (S. B. F. G. 136).
P. nitida (shining).* fl. of a delicate rose, the green sepals showing between the petals, the petals nearly oval in outline, notched at the apex, longer than the calyx; solitary. Summer. l. ternate; leaflets obovate or wedge-shaped, toothed at the apex, clothed on both sides with shining, silvery, silky down. Stems ascending. South Europe, 1815. (Gn., June, 1884; J. F. A. 25; R. G. 858.) P. nivalis (snowy). fl. three to six, terminal; corolla white; petals obcordate, shorter than the calyx. July. l. with five to seven obovate, roundish, obtuse leaflets, which are connivently serrated at the apex, and densely clothed with silky hairs. Stem erect, pilose. h. 3in. to 6in. Pyrenees, 1739. SYN. P. lupinoides (L. B. C. 654).
P. nivea (snowy leaved). fl. yellow; petals broad, obcordate, a little longer than the calyx. June to August. l. ternate; leaflets obovate-cuneiform, with flat, deeply serrated margins, rather hairy above, but clothed with white tomentum beneath, Europe, &c., 1815. Plant ascending. (L. B. C. 460.)
P. n. macrophylla (large-leaved). A variety with larger flowers and leaflets, and elongated petioles. (B. M. 2982.)
P. pennsylvanica (Pennsylvanian). fl. yellow, corymbose; petals emarginate, longer than the woolly calyx. June to August. l. pinnate, with usually three pairs of leaflets, hoary and silky above, white-downy beneath; leaflets oblong, pinnatifid, with linear-lanceolate, acute segments. h. 1 1/2ft. North America, 1827. SYN. P. missourica (B. R. 1412).
P. pyrenaica (Pyrenean). fl. deep golden-yellow, large, the petals very round, and overlapping, and twice as long as the calyx. Summer. l., radical ones on long stalks, velvety or nearly smooth, with oblong leaflets, toothed towards the end; cauline ones three to five-lobed, on short stalks, and the upper ones entire. h. 8in. to 16in. Eastern and Central Pyrenees. A showy species, sometimes covered with adpressed hairs, and at others quite smooth.
P. Russelliana (Russell's). fl. of a rich blood-scarlet, nearly 2in. in diameter; petals obcordate. Summer and autumn. l. ternate, one-coloured beneath. h. 1ft. Hardy. A hybrid, probably between P. argyrophylla atrosanguinea and P. nepalensis. (B. M. 3470.) P. Saxifraga (Saxifrage-like).* fl. white, in corymbose, subumbellate heads; petals nearly round, twice as long as the calyx. May and June. l. either of five leaflets, the central leaflets having short, partial petioles, and all being three-toothed, with connivent teeth, or of three leaflets, which are generally entire. Stem shrubby, with very short, densely-tufted branches. h. 4in. to 6in. Mentone. (F. M. x.)
P. Sibbaldia (Sibbaldia). fl. yellow, few, in terminal, close cymes; petals small. July. l. 1in. to 3in. long; leaflets 1/3 in. to 1in. long. Stems 3in. to 5in. long, axillary, ascending, leafy. Europe (Britain), North America. (Sy. En. B. 426.) SYN. Sibbaldia procumbens.
P. Tormentilla (Tormentilla). Blood-root. fl. bright yellow, small, and mostly with four petals; the first one of each stem has, however, frequently five. Summer. l., lower ones shortly stalked; upper ones always sessile, with three, or rarely five, leaflets. Stems erect. Europe, &c. (Britain). (B. M. Pl. 101; Sy. En. B. 430.) SYN. P. tridentata.
P. tridentata (three-toothed). A synonym of P. Tormentilla.
P. unguiculata (clawed).* fl. pearly-white, 1/2 in. in diameter, in open pinicles with slender, spreading branches, peduncles, and pedice's; petals rather longer than the calyx lobes, rounded July. l., radical ones 4in. to 8in. long, petioled, narrow-linear, flexuous, sessile, consisting of three closely-packed leaflets; cauline ones more sessile, with more scattered leaflets. Stem 9in. to 12in. high, very slender. California. (B. M. 6560.) SYN. Ivesia unguiculata.
P. verna (spring). fl. bright yellow, in irregular panicles at the ends of the stems, with obcordate petals longer than the calyx. Spring. l. rigid; lower ones on long stalks, with five or seven, oblong or wedge-shaped, toothed leaflets; upper ones quinate or rarely ternate, nearly sessile. h. 6in. to 8in., but some times prostrate. Europe, &c. (Britain). A variable species. (Sy. En. B. 428.) P. viscosa (clammy). fl. yellow, crowded at the tips of the branches into a few-flowered panicle; petals obovate, emarginate, hardly longer than the calyx. June to August. l. greenish on both surfaces, pinnate; leaflets oblong, sharply and deeply serrated, upper ones decurrent, lower ones small. h. 1ft. to 1 1/2ft. Dahuria, 1797. (B. R. 1492.)