5) 
POTENTILLA PULCHERKIMA Lehm. Stirp. Pug. 2: 10. 1830. 
Potentilla flippiana pulcherrima Wats. Proc. Am. Acad. 7: 555. 
(in part) 1873. 
As originally described, P. pulcherrina Lehm. has pinnate — 
leaves with approximate leaflets. This was undoubtedly the reason 
why Watson united it with P. diffusa Gray. As faras I know, that 
plant is low, ascending, and rather silky and in all respects nearest 
related to P. Hippiana (see above), while P. pulcherrima is tall, up- 
right, with slender erect branches and nearest related to P. gracilis 
and P. fastigiata. Watson, during King’s expedition, observed 
_ the fact that P. pulcherrima had not always pinnate leaves, which, 
in fact, is rather seldom the case, and consequently included in P. 
fippiana pulcherrima also a form with digitate leaves. The only 
character left to distinguish forms of P. Hippiana and those of P. 
Sracuis was the number of carpels, in the former 10-30, in the latter 
40. Unfortunately the number varies even in the same individual, 
and therefore many specimens labelled P. gracilis belong to P. pul- 
cherrima. My own from the Black Hills, I unfortunately labeled 
thus. P. pulcherrima differs from the other members of the group 
by its leaflets, which are obovate or oblanceolate, mostly obtuse, 
crenate, silky and green above, densely white-tomentose beneath. 
It grows in the mountains and foot hills from New Mexico and 
Nevada to Saskatchewan. No specimens have been seen from 
the Pacific Slope. 
POTENTILLLA GRACILIS Dougl.; Hook. Bot. Mag. pl. 2984. 1829. 
The true P. gracilis is a very rare plant and confined to the 
northern Pacific Coast. What has gone under this name is either — 
the preceding or the next following species. It differs from both 
in the narrow leaflets, which are oblanceolate, acute, and coarsely 
toothed with triangular teeth of the same form as in P. vecta. The 
leaves are only slightly silky above and finely tomentose beneath, 
and the branches of the cyme are very slender and erect. The 
following specimens have been examined : ae 
Oregon: Douglas; Tolmie, 1851; E. Hall, no. 1 36, 1871. | 
Washington: Dr. Ruhn; Wilke’s Expedition, no. 141. . Vancouver — 
Island: John Macoun, no. 182, ae canek scopantt boost 2 
not giver) eh ; 
