Home/Species/ Platte River Cinquefoil

Potentilla plattensis

Nutt.

Platte River Cinquefoil

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Medium - lowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.148920

Element CodePDROS1B1E0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderRosales

FamilyRosaceae

GenusPotentilla

Other Common Names

Platte River cinquefoil (EN) Potentille de la rivière Platte (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2023-08-25

Change Date1989-04-18

Edition Date2023-08-25

Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).

Threat ImpactMedium - low

Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences81 - 300

Rank Reasons

Platte River Cinquefoil (Potentilla plattensis) occurs in the Great Plains and southern Rocky Mountains of central North America. It occurs in mainly east of the Continental Divide from the Canadian Prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico, is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide, including on numerous National Forests and on BLM lands in the United States. Threats include loss of habitat due to development, grazing impacts and competition with exotic plants, including Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) which is common in some areas, and exotic pasture grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis).

Range Extent Comments

Platte River Cinquefoil (Potentilla plattensis) occurs in the Great Plains and southern Rocky Mountains of central North America. It occurs in mainly east of the Continental Divide from the Canadian Prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico. Range extent was estimated to be 1.0 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1992 and 2023 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2014, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).

Occurrences Comments

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are between 81 and 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, SEINet 2023).

Threat Impact Comments

Threats include loss of habitat due to development, grazing impacts and competition with exotic plants, including Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) which is common in some areas, and exotic pasture grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis).

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Platte River Cinquefoil is a perennial herb with several erect to prostrate stems that are 10-20 cm high and arising from a branched rootcrown and taproot. The numerous, pinnately compound, basal leaves have 7-17 oblong, deeply-lobed leaflets and petioles that are 1-7 cm long. Stem leaves are alternate and become sessile above. Foliage is sparsely covered with long hairs. The stalked flowers are borne in an open, branched inflorescence that is nearly half as high as the plant. The saucer-shaped flowers have 5 broadly lance-shaped sepals that are 3-4 mm long, 5 yellow, oblong petals that are 4-6 mm long, 20 stamens, and numerous ovaries. The nearly smooth, brown achenes are 1-2 mm long, and each has a filiform style arising from near the top.

Diagnostic Characteristics

There are many similar-appearing species of Potentilla. A technical key and hand lens or microscope are required for positive determination. The leaves with 7-17 sparsely hairy leaflets and the achene with a long, slender style borne at its tip help to identify this species.

Habitat

This species occurs on moist meadows, reservoir margins, and stream banks at elevations ranging from 300 to 2900 meters (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2014).

Reproduction

Flowers in the summer (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 2014).

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceous

Palustrine Habitats

Riparian

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN4

Province	Rank	Native
Saskatchewan	S4	Yes
Manitoba	S2	Yes
Alberta	S2	Yes

United StatesN4

Province	Rank	Native
North Dakota	SNR	Yes
South Dakota	SNR	Yes
Montana	S3	Yes
Wyoming	S3	Yes
Idaho	S1	Yes
Arizona	S2	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes
Colorado	S3	Yes
Nebraska	S1	Yes
Utah	S1	Yes
Nevada	SNR	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
1 - Residential & commercial development	Small (1-10%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	High (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areas	Small (1-10%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	High (continuing)
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture	Large - restricted	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching	Large - restricted	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	Moderate (short-term)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)

Plant Characteristics

DurationBIENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (1)

Montana (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Big Snowy Mountains Wsa	Lewis and Clark National Forest	88,003

References (5)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 713 pp.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2023. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2023).

Potentilla plattensis

Description

Diagnostic Characteristics

Habitat

Reproduction

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