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 climates of the high mountain ridges. It grows in talus and moist rocky or gravelly serpentine soils. 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 cristae

Imperiled  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Potentilla
Species:
P. cristae
Binomial name
Potentilla cristae
Ferlatte & Strother

Further reading

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  • Strother, J.L.; Ferlatte, W.J. (1990). "Potentilla cristae (Rosaceae), a new species from northwestern California". Madroño. 37 (3): 190–4. JSTOR 41424808.

References

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