138 | THE ROSE FAMILY. [Potentilla. — 
Sibth. (Tormentilla reptans, Linn.), is a more procumbent variety, occa- — 
sionally creeping at the base, with rather larger flowers, more frequently 
breaking out into 5 .petals, and forms some approach to P. reptans; but 
the really intermediate forms mentioned above are of very rare occurrence. 
4, P. argentea, Linn, (fig. 315). Hoary Potentil.—Stems decumbent 
at the base, ascending, and forked above. Lower leaves on long stalks, 
the upper ones nearly sessile, composed of 5 wedge-shaped or sometimes 
obovate leaflets, with a very few deep teeth or lobes, and remarkable for 
the close white down which covers their under side as well as the stems. 
Flowers in a loosely forked, leafy corymb or panicle, rather small, with 5 
yellow petals. 
In gravelly pastures, and on roadsides, in northern and central Europe, 
extending all across the Asiatic continent, but neither an Arctic nor gene- 
rally a Mediterranean plant. In Britain, sparingly distributed over 
England, and eastern Scotland; absent from Ireland. AV. summer. 
5. P.verna; Linn. (fig. 316). Spring Potentil.—Stems generally short 
and tufted, sometimes procumbent at the base, and ascending above to the 
height of 6 or 8 inches, or shortly prostrate, but not rooting at the nodes 
as in P. reptans. Lower leaves on long stalks, with 5 or 7 obovate or 
oblong, toothed leaflets; the upper ones shortly stalked or nearly sessile, - 
with 5 or rarely only 3 leaflets, all green on both sides, although sometimes 
greyish by the abundance of silky hairs. Flowers irregularly panicled at 
the ends of the short, weak stems; the petals yellow, broad, and longer 
than the calyx. 
In pastures and waste places, chiefly in hilly and mountain districts, in 
Europe, and central and Russian Asia, extending to the Arctic regions, but 
grows also in the dry, hot regions of southern Europe. Thinly scattered 
over England, north of Cambridge and Somerset, and Scotland, chiefly in 
hilly districts, and not recorded from Ireland. Fl. spring and summer. 
It varies much in size and hairiness, and in the size of,the flowers. A 
luxuriant mountain variety, with larger flowers, of a golden yellow, has 
been distinguished as a species, under the name of P. alpestris, Hall. f., or 
P. aurea, Sm. (not Linn.). [The alpine plant further differs from the low- 
land one in its ascending stem, larger less truncate leaflets, and often 
spotted flowers. Its earliest names are P. salisburgensis, Henke, and 
maculata, Pourr., which were published in the same year. | 
6. P.fruticosa, Linn. (fig. 317). Shrubby Potentil_—Differs from 
all other European species by the stem, the lower portion of which becomes 
woody, forming an erect or spreading shrub or undershrub, often very 
low, but sometimes attaining 2 feet in height; the short flowering 
branches die down as in other Potentillas. Stipules narrow and thin. 
Leaflets usually 5, narrow and entire; the three upper ones often shortly 
connected at the base; the two lower inserted at some distance from them, 
so as to form a pinnate rather than a digitate leaf. Peduncles terminal or 
opposed to the leaves, each with a single rather large yellow flower. , 
In bushy or stony places, chiefly in mountain districts, widely diffused 
over Europe, central and Russian Asia, and North America, but not gene- 
rallycommon. In Britain, only in a few localities in the north of England, 
and in Clare and Galway in Ireland. Fl. summer. 
7. P.anserina, Linn. (fig. 318). Goose Potentil, Silver-weed.— 
