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Sibbaldiopsistridentata (Aiton) Rydberg. Mountain-cinquefoil, Three-toothed Cinquefoil, Mountain White Potentilla, Wine-leaf Cinquefoil, White Sibbaldia. Phen: Jun-Aug; Jul-Sep. Hab: Grassy balds, crevices of rock outcrops at high (rarely moderate, or northwards at low) elevations, high elevation glades, sometimes locally abundant. Dist: Greenland and NL (Newfoundland) west to NT, south to e. MA, nw. NJ, ne. PA, NY, n. MI, ne. IL, ne. IA, and SD, and disjunctly southwards in the mountains to w. VA, w. NC, ne. TN, and ne. GA (at progressively higher elevations southward).
ID notes:Showy in flower, and also in leaf from late summer on, when previous year's leaves turn a rich burgundy red (younger leaves staying deep green). Though superficially appearing herbaceous, S. tridentata is really an evergreen sub-shrub.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: The older epithet ‘retusa’ (1780, based on a type from Greenland) has priority over ‘tridentata’ (1789) (Eriksson et al. 2015); a proposal to reject it by Ertter, Elven, & Reveal (2008) was accepted, and Potentilla retusa O.F. Müller (and other names based on it) have been rejected.
Other Comments: Bresawar & Walker (2011) discuss the genetic structure of populations in e. United States.
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA9, Il, K1, Mi, NE, S, S13, Tn; = Potentillatridentata Aiton – C, F, G, GrPl, Pa, RAB, W, WV; = Sibbaldiaretusa (O.F.Müll.) T.Erikss. – Eriksson et al (2015), Feng et al (2017), rejected name; = Sibbaldiatridentata (Aiton) Paule & Soják – K3, K4, NY, Va, Paule & Soják (2009)
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Horticultural Information
Intro:Rhizomatous, semi-shrubby perennial found in grassy balds, crevices of rock outcrops at high (rarely moderate) elevations and high-elevation glades; sometimes locally abundant.
Stems:Stems trailing and just below surface, branched, hairy; flowering stems (with 1 or 2 leaves) separate from leaves.
Leaves:Leaves alternate, on petioles with lance-shaped stipules, palmately divided into 3 leaflets (each 1/2-1 in. long) bearing 3-5 teeth at the squared-off tip, somewhat leathery, shiny green above and pale green beneath, evergreen and turning bright red in winter.
Inforescence:
Flowers:Flowers in stalked, branching, few-flowered clusters; white; to 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 5 spreading oval petals, a bowl-shaped calyx with 5 short triangular lobes and a dense cluster of a few pistils and 20-30 stamens.
Fruits:Fruit a cluster of hairy, brown achenes surrounded by persistent calyx lobes.
Comments:
Height:4-12 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description:Rhizomatous, semi-shrubby perennial found in grassy balds, crevices of rock outcrops at high (rarely moderate) elevations and high-elevation glades; sometimes locally abundant.
stems:Stems trailing and just below surface, branched, hairy; flowering stems (with 1 or 2 leaves) separate from leaves.
leaves:Leaves alternate, on petioles with lance-shaped stipules, palmately divided into 3 leaflets (each 1/2-1 in. long) bearing 3-5 teeth at the squared-off tip, somewhat leathery, shiny green above and pale green beneath, evergreen and turning bright red in winter.
inflorescence:
flowers:Flowers in stalked, branching, few-flowered clusters; white; to 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 5 spreading oval petals, a bowl-shaped calyx with 5 short triangular lobes and a dense cluster of a few pistils and 20-30 stamens.
fruits:Fruit a cluster of hairy, brown achenes surrounded by persistent calyx lobes.
