Scientific Family
Rosaceae
Synonyms
Potentilla leucocarpa, P. michoacana, P. millegrana, P. petandra, P. rivalis var.millegrana, P. rivalis var. petandra
Other common names
river cinquefoil
riverbank cinquefoil
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Biennial or annual
Similar species
Potentilla norvegica
Height
To about 2 feet
Riparian
Yes
Leafy, slender-stemmed plant growing from a spreading base and coated with short, soft hairs. Upper leaves resemble a hand, lower leaves have a feather-like shape. Elongated clusters of many tiny yellow flowers grow at the tops of loose flower stalks.
Short-lived, with slender, spreading stems covered with soft, short hairs, and having large, loose, leafy flower stems with many small regular yellow flowers, the green sepals longer than the yellow petals; fruit is a smooth achene without lumps.
Habitat
Grows in moist soils, in meadows, muddy bogs, swamps, pastures, often on open disturbed sites and waste areas as well as along creeks, streambanks and riverbanks.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
4500
High elevation
7500
Flower Characteristics
Short-stalked flowers have 5 tiny egg-shaped petals each about 1/16 inch long. Alternating between the petals are oval, pointed, leaf-like sepals 1/4 inch long. Alternating between the sepals are 5 narrow leaf-like bractlets a bit smaller than the sepals.
Flower color
Yellow
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
July
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Red-tinged stems are freely branching above. Lower leaves are feather-like with 5 to 7 leaflets and usually wither by the time the plant flowers. Upper leaves resemble a hand, usually with 3 leaflets, are 3/4 to 4-3/4 inches long and often stalkless.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
The fruit is dry, has a smooth surface (rarely, slightly wrinkled), is less than 1/16 inch and does not split open when ripe.
Fruit type
Achene
Fruit color
Light brown
Each fruit produces 1 seed.