Potentilla cristae
Encyclopedia
Potentilla cristae is a rare species of cinquefoil
known by the common name crested cinquefoil. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains
of far northern California
, where it is known from a few occurrences in the subalpine
and alpine climate
s of the high mountain ridges. It grows in talus
and moist rocky or gravelly serpentine soil
s. This is a low, matted plant producing a clump of hairy, glandular herbage up to about 20 centimeters tall. Each hairy leaf is divided into three rounded leaflets which are toothed or lobed and measure up to 2 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
is a cyme of a few flowers, each with five small yellow petals. The fruit is a minute achene
just a millimeter wide, which is smooth with a crest.
Potentilla
Potentilla is the genus of typical cinquefoils, containing about 500 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the rose family Rosaceae. They are generally Holarctic in distribution, though some may even be found in montane biomes of the New Guinea Highlands...
known by the common name crested cinquefoil. It is endemic to the Klamath Mountains
Klamath Mountains
The Klamath Mountains, which include the Siskiyou, Marble, Scott, Trinity, Trinity Alps, Salmon, and northern Yolla-Bolly Mountains, are a rugged lightly populated mountain range in northwest California and southwest Oregon in the United States...
of far northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known from a few occurrences in the subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
and alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
s of the high mountain ridges. It grows in talus
Scree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
and moist rocky or gravelly serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s. This is a low, matted plant producing a clump of hairy, glandular herbage up to about 20 centimeters tall. Each hairy leaf is divided into three rounded leaflets which are toothed or lobed and measure up to 2 centimeters in length. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a cyme of a few flowers, each with five small yellow petals. The fruit is a minute achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
just a millimeter wide, which is smooth with a crest.
Further reading
- Strother, J. L. and W. J. Ferlatte. (1990). Potentilla cristae (Rosaceae), a new species from northwestern California. Madroño 37 190–194.