''Potentilla neumanniana'', the spring cinquefoil or spotted cinquefoil, is a perennial

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the rose

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

(

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are ''Alchemilla'' (270), ''Sorbus ...

). It may grow up to the height of 5–15 cm. It was first scientifically described by H.G.L. Reichenbach in 1832. P.F.A. Ascherson later called it ''P. tabernaemontani'', a name which is now invalid. The name ''P. verna'' was misapplied to this

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

; as originally described by Linnaeus, it actually refers to the

alpine cinquefoil ''Potentilla crantzii'', the alpine cinquefoil, is a flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. It is native to North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It ...

(''P. crantzii''). This is a fairly nondescript species of cinquefoil. Its typical five-fingered leaves and — in early spring — five-

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

led yellow flowers are borne on low-lying stems. As its common name implies, in most of its range it is one of the first cinquefoils to bloom. It can grow in dry, marginal

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

, such as roadsides, dry

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifi ...

s, and talus. Thus it can be used for

rock garden A rock garden, also known as a rockery and formerly as a rockwork, is a garden, or more often a part of a garden, with a landscaping framework of rocks, stones, and gravel, with planting appropriate to this setting. Usually these are small A ...

s, providing bright bunches of yellow when few other plants are blooming.

References

External links

* * neumanniana Taxa named by Ludwig Reichenbach {{Rosaceae-stub