Potentilla gracilis var. gracilis
 
Graceful Cinquefoil

2nd Lowest Green Stem Leaf Top

24-July-2012
Centre Block, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park

This is a variable species.  According to the floras, the lower surface of the leaves may be with or without tomentum.  The specimens on this site are all with tomentum.  In addition, all these specimens except one are P. gracilis var. gracilis.

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Gracilis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants of drier habitats; NOT [a decumbent plant of aquatic and marshy habitats]

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plant herb-like, not woody based; NOT [plant shrubby or with woody bases]

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perennial plant with stout rootstocks, often showing old bases of leaves; NOT [annual or biennial plant without perennial rootstocks]

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plant without runners; NOT [low creeping plant with runners]

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plants NOT densely tufted

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plants usually more than 25 cm high

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plants not usually glandular; NOT [plants glandular pubescent]

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stipules entire; NOT [stipules toothed, at least towards their base]

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leaves longer; NOT [leaves 1-5 cm long]

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basal leaves clearly evident; NOT [basal leaves not conspicuous]

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leaves mostly basal; NOT [leaves mostly cauline]

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basal leaves digitate with 5-9 divisions; NOT [basal leaves trifoliolate], NOT [basal leaves pinnate]

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stem leaves 1-3 below the inflorescence; NOT [stem leaves 4 or more]

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stems with 0-3 leaves; NOT [stems leafy above and in the inflorescence]

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inflorescence leafy only at base; NOT [flowers in a leafy cyme]

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leaflets commonly 5-9; NOT [leaflets commonly 3-5]

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larger leaflets at least 3 cm long; NOT [larger leaflets about 2 cm long]

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leaflets elliptic-lanceolate; NOT [leaflets cuneate]

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leaflets oblanceolate to elliptic; NOT [leaflets obovate]

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leaflets toothed to the base; NOT [leaflets sharply toothed apically, base entire]

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leaflets often a greyish-brown color below, somewhat greener above; NOT [leaflets mostly fresh green on both surfaces]

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secondary veins conspicuously raised

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flowers few-many, in terminal cymes; NOT [flowers solitary on long, naked peduncles, mostly from the nodes of stolons]

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inflorescence open; NOT [inflorescence compact]

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flowers yellow; NOT [flowers reddish purple], NOT [flowers white]

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petals longer than sepals; NOT [petals shorter than sepals]

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petals 5-9 mm long; NOT [petals 9-12 mm long]

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petals large; NOT [petals minute]

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stamens 15-20; NOT [stamens 5-15], NOT [stamens 25-30]

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anthers mostly 1.0 mm long; NOT [anthers mostly 0.5 mm long]

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styles NOT warty-papillose at base

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achenes more or less smooth; NOT [achenes striate or strongly reticulate-veiny], NOT [achenes hairy]

 

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Potentilla: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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herbs, or with a woody base and otherwise herbaceous; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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leaves compound; NOT [leaves simple, usually toothed]

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leaves NOT much dissected into linear lobes

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basal leaves with MORE than 3 leaflets

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calyx bractlets present (appearing like 10 sepals); NOT [calyx bractlets lacking]

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hypanthium LACKING hooked prickles

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stamens 10-many; NOT [stamens 5]

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carpels 10-many; NOT [carpels 5-20], NOT [carpels 2] 

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styles articulated at base and not jointed near the middle; NOT [styles not articulated at base but often with an abrupt bend or joint near the middle]

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style much shorter than the achene; NOT [style much longer than the achene]

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NOT [style hooked or plumose in fruit]

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style deciduous from the achene, not persisting in the fruit

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carpels becoming achenes NOT [carpels becoming drupelets (raspberry-like)]

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fruit NOT fleshy

 
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Rosaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

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leaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]

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calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

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flowers regular in shape

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stamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]

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stamens usually numerous; NOT [stamens 5 or 10]

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ovary of one or more carpels, either separate or enclosed by a fleshy receptacle; NOT [ovary of 5 united carpels]