Montana Field Guide

Adapted from Ertter in Flora of North America 2014

PLANTS: Perennials with erect stems, 12 to 45 cm tall, diameter at base 1.5-3 mm, and more-or-less densely septate-glandular. Caudex branches short to elongate.

LEAVES: Basal and stem (alternately arranged) present and all with petioles and pinnately-divided. Sparsely to moderately hairy.
Basal Leaves: (3–)7–19 cm long. Number of leaflet pairs (4–)5–6(–10). Additional reduced leaflets area sometimes interspersed. Terminal leaflet is usually broadly obovate-cuneate, sometimes elliptic, (1–)1.5–3.5(–5) by (1–)1.5–3(–3.5) cm. Terminal leaflet has single or double teeth, 5–13 per side with a rounded to obtuse apex.
Stem (Cauline) Leaves: 1–3 well developed leaves. Number of leaflet pairs are 4–6(–10).

INFLORESCENCE: A leafy-bracted cyme that has 5–15-flowers, is congested to somewhat open, occupies half of less of the stem's height, and has branches angled from 15–30(–40) degrees. Pedicels area 1–12 mm, short-hairy, and septate-glandular. Flowers open widely. Sepals spread, 6–10 mm in length, and have an acute to acuminate tip. Petals are yellow, overlap and spread, are broadly obovate, 7–11 × 5–11 mm, and equal or exceed the sepals. Stamens are often more than 20 with filaments 1.5–4.5 mm long and anthers (0.7–)1–1.4 mm long. Pistils with thickened styles, 1 mm. Achenes are light brown, 1 mm.

In general, species of Drymocallis and Potentilla can be difficult to identify across their specific ranges because many characteristics are continuous. Variation comes from localized ecotypes, polyploidy genes, hybridization, asexual reproduction without fertilization (apomixis), and/or other sources.

Drymocallis fissa - Big-flower Cinquefoil, NOT documented in Montana.
Plants have all of the following characteristics:
*Basal leaves with relatively numerous leaflets (usually 5-6 leaflet pairs), often with additional small ones;
*Stem leaves with 4-6 pairs of leaflets.
*Stem leaves typically with 4-6 leaflet pairs.
*Inflorescence is congested to more-or-less open.
*Large flowers that also open widely;
*Large, elongated anthers, 1-1.4 mm; and
*Thick styles, about 1 mm wide.

Drymocallis glandulosa - Sticky Cinquefoil
*Basal leaflets typically with 2-5 leaflet pairs.
*Stem leaves typically with 1-4 leaflet pairs.
*Relatively smaller flowers that open widely when compared to Drymocallis fissa.
*Relatively open inflorescence and ascending to spreading lateral branches when compared to Drymocallis arguta
*Anthers 1 mm or less long.

Drymocallis arguta - Tall Cinquefoil
*Basal leaves typically with 2-5 leaflet pairs.
*Stem leaves typically with 1-4 leaflet pairs.
*May have somewhat smaller flowers that open widely when compared to Drymocallis fissa.
*Relatively congested inflorescence and lateral branches that are erect or strongly ascending when compared to Drymocallis arguta
*Anthers 1 mm or less long.

Sagebrush slopes, open forests, stream banks, often in rocky or moderately disturbed sites; 1600–3000 meters (Ertter in Flora of North America 2014).