Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 60

potentilla

A member of a large genus of annuals or perennials, sometimes creeping, rarely small shrubs, native to N temperate regions; leaves with three leaflets, or pinnately or palmately divided into leaflets; flowers with epicalyx, 4–5 sepals, 4–5 petals;. They can be roughly divided into two groups: cinquefoils with 5-petalled flowers, and tormentils with 4-petalled flowers. Several, especially the shrubby species, are widely grown ornamentals. (Genus: Potentilla, 500 species. Family: Rosaceae.)

iPotentilla

Potentilla sterilis leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Genus: Potentilla
L.

The two species formerly treated as Potentilla palustris and Potentilla salesowianum are now separated into the genus Comarum, while Potentilla tridentata is transferred to Sibbaldiopsis as Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, and Potentilla arguta is similarly now separated into the genus Drymocallis as Drymocallis arguta.

Species

About 500, including:

Potentilla alba White Cinquefoil Potentilla alchemilloides Alchemilla-leaved Cinquefoil Potentilla anglica Trailing Tormentil Potentilla anserina Silverweed Potentilla argentea Hoary Cinquefoil Potentilla canadensis Canadian Cinquefoil Potentilla cinerea Grey Cinquefoil Potentilla crantzii Alpine Cinquefoil Potentilla erecta Common tormentil Potentilla glandulosa Sticky Cinquefoil Potentilla hickmanii Hickman's potentilla Potentilla indica Mock Strawberry Potentilla micrantha Pink Barren strawberry Potentilla norvegica Norwegian Cinquefoil Potentilla palustris Marsh Cinquefoil Potentilla pensylvanica Pennsylvania Cinquefoil Potentilla recta Sulphur Cinquefoil Potentilla reptans Creeping tormentil Potentilla rupestris Rock Cinquefoil Potentilla simplex Oldfield Cinquefoil Potentilla sterilis Barren Strawberry Potentilla tabernaemontani Spring Cinquefoil Potentilla Robbinsiana Robbins Cinquefoil

Previously included species

Potentilla fruticosa now reclassified as Dasiphora fruticosa Shrubby Cinquefoil

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