Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

Plant Identification => Plant Identification Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Zdenek on January 29, 2011, 02:22:35 PM

Title: Potentilla sp.
Post by: Zdenek on January 29, 2011, 02:22:35 PM

I should be grateful if somebody could help me with identification of this Potentilla. I received its seed in 2005 from RMRP as Potentilla nivea collected in Colorado. I believed it till quite recently when I revealed that Potentilla nivea is mostly an European plant, much higher and looser and looks quite different. I have no idea now about the right name of my plant which is nicely compact, silver leaved and with almost sessile flowers. Could anybody from forumists give me any idea?

Title: Re: Potentilla sp.
Post by: TheOnionMan on January 29, 2011, 05:24:10 PM

Potentilla nivea is a circumpolar species and a variable species, and accordingly, a number of names and subtaxa defined.  Two subspecies are listed in the USDA Plant Profiles, both occurring in Colorado in RMRP territory: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PONI2

Here are some other pertinent links:

PDF with pics showing very compact plants found in Washington State.
http://www1.dnr.wa.gov/nhp/refdesk/fguide/pdf/potniv.pdf

Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (some image links at the bottom)
http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/_ca/www/roponi.htm

Photos, scroll to bottom:
http://www.wildstaudenzauber.de/Seiten/Willmore_Wilderness_Pferde-Ritt.htm

Uploaded are 2 herbariums specimen views showing a very condensed specimen, under an older name P. nivea ssp. fallax.

Title: Re: Potentilla sp.
Post by: Lori S. on January 29, 2011, 08:01:05 PM

Zdenek,
Your plant looks a lot like this furry little beauty I found on Forgetmenot Ridge west of here.  If yours is in fact P. nivea, I'd assume this one is too (but I find our alpine potentillas very difficult to sort out!)