Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 157 



COMMON CINQUEFOIL; FIVE-FINGER (Poten- 



tilla canadensis). This species is the most common 

 of the Five-fingers, and is also one of our most com- 

 mon wild flowers, in pastures and along roadsides. 

 It has a long period of bloom and flowers may be 

 found from April until August. It is often mistaken 

 for the Wild Strawberry, because of a similarity be- 

 tween the leaves of the two species, although those 

 of this species have five divisions while those of the 

 Strawberry have but three. The flowers are shaped 

 like those of the Strawberry, but have bright yellow 

 petals. 



The flowers are solitary, on long, slender stems 

 from the axils of the leaves near the ends of the 

 trailing branches, that grow from 6 to 24 inches long. 

 This species is very common in the United States 

 and southern Canada. 



SILVERY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla argentea) is a 

 common and very handsome species found in dry, 

 barren ground throughout our range, but most abun- 

 dantly near the coast. It is smaller than the proceed- 

 ing, being from 5 to 12 in. high. The little, yellow 

 flowers are clustered at the ends of the branches. 

 The stems and the undersides of the divided and 

 deeply cut leaves, are covered with fine, white, sil- 

 very wool, contrasting sharply with the dark green 

 of the upper surfaces. This species bloom from May 

 until September. 



SHRUBBY CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla fructicosa) is 

 a very leafy and much branched Cinquefoil growing 

 from six inches to three feet high. The leaves are di- 

 vided into five to seven narrow leaflets, with a smooth 

 but usually rolled edge; they are lighter below but not 

 wooly as in the last species. The stem is quite erect, 

 brownish and with bark often peeling off in shreds. 

 The yellow flowers may be solitary, but usually are 

 in rather flat-topped clusters. This species is com- 

 mon everywhere. 



