TALL CINQUEFOIL
Potentilla arguta
ROSE FAMILY (Rosaceae)
Identification
- Flowering time - June, July, August
- Uncommon in prairie restorations at Neale Woods
- 5 creamy white petals alternating with 5 pointed green sepals
- Toothed compound leaves with up to 11 lower leaflets
This native perennial has an erect, 1-3 foot stem. The alternate, compound leaves are divided into sharply toothed leaflets (C). Upper leaves usually have no more than 3 large leaflets at the tip and 2 very small basal ones (A). Lower stem leaves may have up to 11 leaflets, again, with the largest ones at the tip (C). Leaflets and stems are covered with soft, somewhat sticky, white hairs. The flowers are 3/4 inch wide and occur in branched, compact clusters at the top of the stem (A). Each flower has 5 rounded white to creamy yellow petals alternating with hairy, pointed greenish sepals about as long as the petals (B,D). Centrally, there is a circle of about 25 yellow stamens around a dome-shaped yellow disk containing many pistils.
Tall Cinquefoil blooms from June through August in moist to dry prairies. It is uncommon in the prairie restorations at Neale Woods.
This plant with its cream to white flowers differs from other cinquefoil species at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods which have yellow petals and are not likely to be found in prairie locations. Another Rose Family member with similar flowers, White Avens (Geum canadense) has pure white flowers, burr-like seed heads and is a woodland, not a prairie species.
Although cinquefoil means “five leaves,” this common name is used for all members of the genus regardless of the number of leaflets. Potentilla, a word of Latin origin, meaning “the little potent one,” was originally applied to Silverweed (Potentilla anserina), because of its reputed medicinal powers.
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