ROSACES 



THE PLANT: low, branching profusely near the base; the 

 stem rather stout, dark green, more or less silky-haired; 

 the hairs spreading or lying flattened against the stem. 



THE LEAVES: alternate; palmately three-divided; the di- 

 vision ovate; dark green above, lighter beneath; with soft, 

 white bristles along the veins; on petioles bearing similar 

 soft hairs; regularly serrate; prominently but not heavily 

 veined beneath. 



THE FLOWERS; large, in proportion to the length of the 

 plant, with five spreading separate petals; stamens nu- 

 merous; sepals spreading very flat under the wheel-shaped 

 corolla, united at the base; the stamens under each petal 

 and alternating with them. The petals fall early when 

 the calyx closes to make a cup-shaped receptacle. 



THE FRUIT: achenes, imbedded in pits in soft, red, berry- 

 like pulp. The fruit not a true berry. (See glossary for 

 definition of achene and berry.) 



This creeping plant has three-divided, coarsely toothed, 

 dark green leaves, and in their season, small, pure white 

 five-petaled flowers with numerous orange-yellow stamens. 

 The flowers are later succeeded by small, bright scarlet, 

 fragrant fruit, with a very "moreish" taste. 



ROSACES ROSE FAMILY 



Potentilla argentea, L. 



Yellow Silvery Cinquefoil, 



Silvery Five-finger, 

 May-September Hoary Cinquefoil. 



Potentilla: a Latin diminutive for powerful, from the 



plant's once reputed medicinal powers. 

 Argentea: Latinized form for silvery. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: sandy fields, especially near 

 the town. 



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