37 
POTENTILLA insignis. 
Specious Cinquefoil. 
ICOSANDRIA POLYGYNLA. 
Nat. ord. Rosacex. 
POTENTILLA. Botanical Register, vol. 16. fol. 1387. 
P. insignis; caule ascendente multifloro, foliis ternatis (nunc quinatis) radi- 
calibus longé petiolatis : lobis ovalibus obovatisque crenato-serratis supra 
viridibus subtts incanis, stipulis ovatis obtusis integris multifidisque, 
laciniis calycinis ovatis acutis, petalis subrotundis emarginatis calyce 
duplo longioribus. 
P. insignis. Royle ined. 
The genus Potentilla abounds in species, or what are 
ealled so, of which there is no recent general enumeration, 
and concerning which there is the greatest difficulty in coming 
to any satisfactory conclusion. With respect to the plant now 
before us, which was raised from Indian seeds, presented to 
the Horticultural Society by the Court of Directors of the 
East India Company, I find it extremely difficult to come to 
any certain conclusion. 
It is undoubtedly the P. insignis of Dr. Royle’s mss. ; 
but how does that differ from P. argyrophylla? The latter 
has leaves more coarsely serrated, and much more strongly 
veined, and not so obtuse; otherwise it is extremely like it ; 
and it is difficult to suppose it really distinct. And then 
again is the latter distinct from the Altai P. macrantha, a 
smaller species indeed, and erect not ascending, but very like 
it? These enquiries lead to the further question of how far 
P. leucochroa deserves to be regarded as distinct ; that plant 
indeed has the leaves grey on the upper side with silken hairs, 
and seems to be quite erect; but it comes from Chinese ‘Tartary, 
and climate may cause the differences. Then, again, Dr. 
Lehmann says that P. leucochroa is the same as the Una- 
