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Comarum palustre

L.

Marsh Cinquefoil

G5Secure Found in 109 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128286
Element CodePDROS24010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusComarum
Synonyms
Comarum palustrisL.Potentilla palustris(L.) Scop.
Other Common Names
Comaret des marais (FR) Purple Marshlocks (EN) purple marshlocks (EN)
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 Date2024-09-16
Change Date1984-06-25
Edition Date2024-09-16
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Comarum palustre is a perennial forb found in shallow ponds, bogs, meadows, marshes, and on streambanks and lake margins of boreal, alpine, and subalpine biomes of Eurasia, Greenland, and North America. There are over 3,000 occurrences of this taxon, which are threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, succession, recreational activities, invasive species, climate change, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, a high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Comarum palustre is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Comarum palustre is a widespread circumboreal species, occurring across Eurasia, Greenland, and North America. In North America it is found "in a broad band across the northernmost United States and Canada as far north as the low arctic. Disjunct populations occur well to the north, as on Baffin and Victoria islands, and in the south, as in Gunnison County, Colorado, and the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Appropriate habitats are uncommon and geographically restricted in the southern part of the range, for example, in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota" (FNA 2014). Range extent was estimated to be over 57 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 3,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Comarum palustre is likely threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, succession, recreational activities, invasive species, climate change, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

The only red cinquefoil in Colorado. Its branches spread into leaves with 3-7 narrow leaflets which are sharply jagged. The Stem is a reddish brown, low sprawling, vine-like structure. Flowers extend from the branch which vary from red to purple, and are about 1" diameter.

Habitat

In North America, Comarum palustre occurs in "shallow, often sphagnum-dominated ponds, bogs, wet meadows, marshes, stream banks, and lake margins, mainly in boreal and low arctic habitats in the north, [and] subalpine to alpine sites in the south" (FNA 2014).
Terrestrial Habitats
Alpine
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IowaS3Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
AlaskaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
North DakotaS2Yes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
UtahS1Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
OhioS2Yes
WyomingS3Yes
VermontS4Yes
IndianaSNRYes
New YorkS4Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
OregonSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
LabradorS4Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
QuebecS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS5Yes
NunavutS4Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS4Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (109)
Alaska (25)
AreaForestAcres
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Chilkat-West Lynn CanalTongass National Forest199,772
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Juneau-Skagway IcefieldTongass National Forest1,187,268
KartaTongass National Forest52,117
KekuTongass National Forest10,869
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Thorne RiverTongass National Forest72,983
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
California (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
DardanellesEldorado National Forest8,110
East YubaTahoe National Forest17,968
Grizzly PeakPlumas National Forest6,222
Grouse LakesTahoe National Forest19,085
Middle ForkPlumas National Forest29,278
ParsnipModoc National Forest8,485
Wild Cattle MtnLassen National Forest4,965
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
NeedlesPayette National Forest131,279
SeceshPayette National Forest248,088
Minnesota (7)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Phantom LakeSuperior National Forest6,521
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
Montana (18)
AreaForestAcres
Allan Mountain (01946)Bitterroot National Forest104,184
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanHelena National Forest51,360
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLewis and Clark National Forest344,022
BeartoothGallatin National Forest5,285
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)Kootenai National Forest34,716
Cabinet Face East #671Kootenai National Forest50,326
Lolo CreekLolo National Forest14,335
Marshall PeakLolo National Forest9,069
Marston Face # 172Kootenai National Forest9,098
Republic MountainGallatin National Forest836
Roderick #684Kootenai National Forest29,677
SapphireBitterroot National Forest43,303
SapphiresBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest66,619
Selway - Bitterroot (01067)Bitterroot National Forest114,953
Silver KingBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest64,289
Stony MountainBitterroot National Forest44,057
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
Oregon (21)
AreaForestAcres
Bull Of The WoodsMt. Hood National Forest8,843
Echo MountainWillamette National Forest8,098
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
Gordon MeadowsWillamette National Forest9,463
Jackson Creek AppendageUmpqua National Forest4,673
Lake ForkWallowa-Whitman National Forest21,936
Maiden PeakDeschutes National Forest26,432
Maiden PeakWillamette National Forest9,627
Mt. JeffersonDeschutes National Forest2,282
Mt. BaileyUmpqua National Forest18,401
Mt. Hood AdditionsMt. Hood National Forest13,061
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
Salmon - HuckleberryMt. Hood National Forest17,570
Sky Lakes AWinema National Forest3,940
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
Waldo - FujiWillamette National Forest15,273
Waldo - LakeWillamette National Forest2,993
Waldo - MoolackWillamette National Forest1,183
West - South BachelorDeschutes National Forest25,994
Wind CreekMt. Hood National Forest5,438
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Washington (18)
AreaForestAcres
Big Lava BedGifford Pinchot National Forest19,043
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
EntiatWenatchee National Forest72,617
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Goat Rocks AdjWenatchee National Forest6,108
Grassy TopIdaho Panhandle National Forests13,485
Grassy TopColville National Forest10,302
Harvey CreekColville National Forest10,140
Long SwampOkanogan National Forest66,344
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
Rock CreekWenatchee National Forest32,239
Thorp Mtn.Wenatchee National Forest22,717
Wyoming (7)
AreaForestAcres
Cloud Peak ContiguousBighorn National Forest113,757
French CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest5,928
Rock CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest18,874
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
Teton Corridor TrailheadsBridger-Teton National Forest286
Walker PrairieBighorn National Forest62,434
Winegar HoleTarghee National Forest247
References (5)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. 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.
  5. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).