190 



ROSACEA. [Potentilla. 



Hab. Alpine woods in the Rocky Mountedns, north of the Smoking River, in latitude 56^, scarce, 

 Drumrtiond, 



Tab. LXV. Potentilla Dmnunondii. Lehm. Fig. 1, Flower; ^^.2, Stamen: — magnified. 



♦ * 



Foliis pinnato-digitatis. 



12. P. diversi/oliaj (Lehm,); caule adscendente, foliis radicalibus pinnatis subtrijugis 

 quinatisque, caulinis bijugis digitalis ternatis, foliolis cuneiformibus superne grosse inciso- 

 serratis apice sericeo-pilosis, stipulis ovato-lanceolatis integerrimis, petalis obcordatis calyce 

 longioribus. 



Radix crassa, lignosa, fusca, superne squamis, e rudimentis petiolorum stipulanmique ortis tecta. Caules 

 ex eadem radice pliires, adscendentes, 3-12-polHcares, teretes, purpurascentes, pilosi vel glabriusculi, in pani- 

 culam subdichotomam pauci-vel multifloram abeuntes. Folia radicalia longe petiolata, irapari-pinnata, sub- 

 trijuga vel quinato-digitata, cauliiia breviter petiolata, bijuga, vel digitata et ternata. Foliola approximata, 

 sessilia, cuneiformia, lateralia sEepe obliqna, supra glabriuscula impresse venosa, e medio ad apicem grosse 

 inciso-serrata, serraturis apice pilis densis longissimis albis, subttis plus minusve pilis longis sericeis instructa ; 

 juniora subtus sericeo-viUosa. Stipules ovato-lanceolatae, subfalcatse, acutae, integerrimse, inferiores subtus 

 albido-pilosBe, superiores glabriusculse. Flares erecti, plus minusve longe pediceUati. Pedicelli teretes, 

 graciles, subpurpurascentes, superne prsesertim toraentosi. Calyces pilosi, folia exteriora linearia acuta, in- 

 teriora lanceolata acuminata reliquis duplo majora. Corolla aurea, petalis obcordatis calyce duplo longiori- 

 bus. Receptaculum villosum : Aclieniis lievibus glaberrimis. 



Hab. Alpine Prairies, as well as on the higher summits of the Rocky Mountains, between lat. 52° and 

 56°. I>7-ummond. This is one of the Potentillas which presents the most varied modifications. The radical 

 leaves of one and the same plant are partly entirely pinnate, partly pedate or digitate ; the leaflets either 

 very close together, or, less frequently, rather distant ; and though the above-mentioned form of the leaflets 

 remains the predominating one, they nevertheless appear often a little longer or narrower, those beneath either 

 of the same length M-ith the superior onos, or, more commonly, much smaller. The stem-leaves are foimd 

 varying in the same manner. The pubescence of the plant is also very variable ; that of the stem so in- 

 distinct that it appears at last almost entirely glabrous. The leaves offer all and every transition* from the 

 sericeous with long hairs to the glabrous state; but even in those whose surface is most glabrous, the 

 points of the segments are still covered with some sericeous hairs, such as are seen on P. aurea. The calyx 

 aud petals, too, are never glabrous, and the pubescence in general does not depend on the size of the plant, 

 because both few and many-flowered ones are to be met with, exhibiting all the different forms in which this 

 plant is known to us. Another peculiarity may be mentioned, relating to the growth of this plant. The 

 smallest specimens, perhaps from a dry and elevated spot, do not exceed two inches in height, and have but 

 a single stem-leaf and iQ^v flowers. From this form upwards to the height of one foot, with a panicle of 

 16-20 flowers, all intermediate ones may be seen. And indeed all the deviations now specified offer such 

 insensible transitions, that it is quite impossible to fix any where the limits of a variety. The size of the 

 flowers, however, (like those of P. subacaulis^ exhibits no variation at all : the stem, too, is always more 

 or less tinged with red. 



13. P, pulcherrima, {Lehm.); caule adscendente villoso, foliis impari-pinnatis, foliolis 

 dense congestis ellipticis sequaliter serratis supra adpresse pilosis subtus niveo-tomentosis, 

 stipulis ovatis acutis integerrimis lanatis, petalis obcordatis calyce longioribus. 



Radix fusca, lignosa, superne squamis e petiolorum stipularumque rudimentis ortis tecta. Caules ut 

 videtur ex eadem radice plures, adscendentes, teretes, sesquipedales et longiores, incano-villosi, subpui^uras- 

 centes, in paniculam laxam desinentes. Folia radicalia 3-juga, longe petiolata, caulina bijuga et ternata, 

 breviter petiolata. Petioli supra profunde canaliculati, lanati. Foliola sessilia ita quidem approximata ut 

 folium digitatum septenatumque constituere videantur, elliptica, sequaliter serrata, supra viridia adpresse 



