slender cinquefoil

Slender cinquefoil, also called graceful cinquefoil, is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial. It occurs in the United States west of the Great Plains and across the Upper Midwest as far east as Minnesota. It also occurs across southern Canada and north along the Rocky Mountains into Alaska. It is uncommon in Minnesota.

Slender cinquefoilis found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, open woods, and rocky slopes.

Slender cinquefoil is a popular garden ornamental due to its attractive foliage and flowers and its ability to thrive in a variety of conditions.

Slender cinquefoil is a highly variable species, resulting in fifteen varieties an one subspecies haing being described. Six varieties are currently recognized, three of which occur in Minnesota.

Slender cinquefoil is an ascending to erect, perennial forb that rises on usually several stems from a thick, branched caudex.

The stems are slender, hairy, reddish, and branched.

The leaves are compound, with 5-7 leaflets. Each leaflet is oval to lance-shaped, 1-3 cm long, and 0.5-2 cm wide. The upper surface is dark green and the lower surface is pale green. The margins are deeply toothed.

The inflorescence is a flattened, open, branched cluster of many flowers at the end of the stem. The flowers bloom from May to August.

Each flower has 5 yellow petals and is 1-2 cm in diameter.

The fruit is small, dry, single-seeded capsule (achene).

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

Common names of the varieties of Potentilla gracilis are used inconsistently, sometimes seeming randomly shuffled. The common name usage for the varieties of Potentilla gracilis on MinnesotaSeasons.com follows ITIS.