Potentilla recta L.
Rough-fruited cinquefoil, sulphur cinquefoil
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Rosales Rose family and eight others
Family Rosaceae Includes apples, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, roses, meadowsweets, photinias, firethorns, rowans, and hawthorns; many others
Genus Potentilla Latin for “powerful,” for the medicinal qualities of some species
Species recta “Upright, erect”
About plant names...
Rough-fruited cinquefoil is a Eurasian native. It was introduced to North America prior to 1900, and it
has become widespread. It is considered a noxious weed in some localities.
Identification: Plants are up to 1½′ (50 cm) high,
with hairy stems and palmlike leaf clusters. Each cluster has five to seven hairy leaflets, each
2-4″ (5-10 cm) × ½-1″ (1.3-2.5 cm), with many small teeth. Flowers have five petals and are
about ½″ (1.5 cm) in diameter. They are cream-colored, pale yellow, or yellow, with a yellow center
and black spots on the anthers . Fruits are dark brown achenes (dried fruits)
with branched ridges, hence the name "rough-fruited."
This cinquefoil is found in grasslands, shrubby areas, open forest, roadsides, abandoned fields, and
waste areas.
Online References:
Missouriplants.com
The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site
Illinois Wildflowers
Minnesota Wildflowers
Cwma.org
The USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database
Spes.vt.edu
Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
7/17/2014 · Amos Kendall Conservation Land, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
6/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
6/12/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 4½″ (7.5 × 11 cm)
7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm)
Older scientific or horticultural names
Potentilla recta L. var. obscura (Nestler) W.D.J. Koch
Potentilla recta L. var. pilosa (Willd.) Ledeb.
Potentilla recta L. var. sulphurea (Lam. & DC.) Peyr.
Potentilla recta description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Jul 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/8/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
7/11/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near NH Line, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
7/2/2017 · Wildlife Pond, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 10 × 6″ (24 × 16 cm)
6/8/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)
6/8/2010 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (55 × 36 cm)
6/24/2015 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
Range:
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