Taxonomy
|
Scientific Name:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division:
Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves) Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Genera: Potentilla (Cinquefoil) (Lat. potens=powerful; referring to the strengh of the medicine from some species)
Species: palustris (Lat. palus = marsh; referring to the habitat of this species.) Synonym(s): Comarum palustre English Name(s):
Marsh Five-finger, Marsh Cinquefoil
First Nation Names:
|
Description
|
Structure:
- Emergent bog plants.
- From long freely branching prostrate (horizontal) submerged, subligneous (sub-woody) rhizomes (rootstocks).
- Stems erect to decumbent, 10-100cm high, rising out of the water, often dark reddish tinged.
-
Leaves:
- Mostly cauline (on stem), often dark reddish tinged, lower ones largest.
- 5-pinnate or sometimes 7-pinate, 5-20 cm long.
- Leaflets oblong-lanceolate in shape.
- Margins sharply serrate (toothed).
- Dark green above, pale and somewhat pubescent (hairy) below.
Reproductive Parts:
- Flowers about 2 cm wide, solitary or few togather from axils (base) of upper most leaves.
- Sepals 5 or 6, 7-15mm long, ovate-lanceolate in shape, enlarging in fruit. purpleish.
- Bracteoles alternating with the sepals, lanceolate to linear in shape, 3.5-11mm long.
- Petals 5 or 6, purplish or reddish purple, 2.5-5mm long, about half as long a the sepals.
- Anthers (male parts) deep purple.
Seed:
- Fruit is a small, dry, seedlike, achene (nutlet).
- Achenes numerous, about 1mm-1.5mm long, hairless, buoyant.
Not to Be Confused With:
- Potentilla palustris (Marsh Five-finger) is a very distinctive plant not easily mistaken for anything else.
|
Biology
|
Physiology:
- Is one of the few members of the Rosaceae that may have 6 rather than 5 sepals and petals.
- Is the only Potentilla (Cinquefoil) with purple petals and in our area is the only aquatic one.
Life Cycle:
Seasonal Cycle:
- Leaves deciduous (falling).
- Leaves and stems emerging in June.
- Flowers have gone to seed by late July.
|
Ecology
|
Animal Uses:
- The flowers emit a fetid odour that attracts carion-feeding insects as pollenators
Habitat:
- Aquatic.
- Wet marshes and bogs.
- Less often, stream banks and lake shores.
|
Uses
|
Modern:
Industrial:
Medicinal:
- Plants probably contain tannin-like compounds and therefore can be used to treat intestinal upsets, surface cuts and burns
Food:
Traditional Gwich'in:
Folklore:
Industrial:
Medicinal:
Food:
Traditional Other:
Folklore:
- In astrology Potentilla are said to be governed by Jupiter.
- In the Victorian Language of Flowers these plants symbolized "beloved daughter" or " I claim, at least, your esteem".
- Potentilla were said to flourish in the gardens of witches. One of few yellow flowers they cared for.
Industrial:
Medicinal:
- A decoction of 1/2root in 1 liter water was taken to treat dysentery by the Chippewa.
- Root tea was said to relieve stomach cramps.
Food:
- Siberian Inuit dried the leaves used them alone or blended them with other plants, to make a favorite tea.
|
|
Images
|
Flowering stem
Flower top view
Flower side view
5-parted leaf
Marsh full of Five-fingers
Flower top view
Illustration from: Illustrated flora of BC |
Range Maps
|
World Range: Circumpolar, wide-ranging; in N.A. from GL and NL to AK, south to NJ, WY, and CA.
Prov/State Abrev. List
In Yukon: Common north to Arctic coast and Hercshel Island. |
|