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Potentilla canadensis

L.

Canada Cinquefoil

G5Secure Found in 39 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.135834
Element CodePDROS1B0D0
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
dwarf cinquefoil (EN) Dwarf Cinquefoil (EN) Potentille du Canada (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.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (vol. 9, 2014) lumps subspecific taxa.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-08-19
Change Date1984-06-25
Edition Date2024-08-19
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Potentilla canadensis is a perennial forb occurring in dry, open areas such as lawns, pastures, roadsides, meadows, and woodland edges, and acidic soils of eastern North America from Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Maine and Georgia west to Arkansas, and north to Missouri in the United States. There are over 600 occurrences of this species rangewide, which are threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, and succession. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, a high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Potentilla canadensis is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Potentilla canadensis occurs in eastern North America from Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Maine and Georgia west to Arkansas, and north to Missouri in the United States (FNA 2014, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). The range extent of Potentilla canadensis was estimated to be 1.9 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 600 occurrences (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Potentilla canadensis is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, succession, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Potentilla canadensis occurs on "dry flats and slopes in lawns, pastures, roadsides, cherty slopes, dry meadows, edges of oak and conifer woodlands, often on acidic soil" (FNA 2014).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeGrassland/herbaceousSuburban/orchard
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New JerseySNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
VermontS4Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
District of ColumbiaS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
New YorkS4Yes
OhioSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS1Yes
OntarioS4Yes
Nova ScotiaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (39)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Georgia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Indian Grave GapChattahoochee National Forest1,020
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Sarah's CreekChattahoochee National Forest6,888
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
North Carolina (12)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Cherry Cove (addition)Nantahala National Forest836
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Yellowhammer Branch (add.)Nantahala National Forest1,255
South Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainSumter National Forest2,337
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Virginia (14)
AreaForestAcres
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Long SpurJefferson National Forest6,417
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
References (6)
  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).
  6. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.