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| Species: | Potentilla palustris (L.) Scop. (Synonym Comarum palustre L.), marsh cinquefoil, purple cinquefoil |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Marsh cinquefoil
is a low-growing, sprawling, emergent
perennial with reddish trailing stems and reddish-purple flowers. The
flowers produce a foul odor that attracts flies for pollination. The
plant stems can be as much as 1 m long, with 3-7 leaflets per leaf. The
leaves and upper part of the stem are often hairy, although individual
plants vary in the amount of leaf hair. Marsh cinquefoil is common from
sea level to subalpine zones, and is usually grows as an open sprawling
mat along the water's edge. |
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Leaf:
The compound leaf is composed of 3-7 sharply toothed
leaflets on a long leaf stalk that forms a sheath around the stem. The
leaflets are typically 2-10 cm long, smooth and light green on the
upper surface, and covered with short, stiff, white hairs on the
undersurface. The leaflets have a pinnate to subpalmate arrrangement
(see glossary for definitions).
Stem: The up to 1 m long stem (stolon) is usually reddish and floats in shallow water or sprawls along the shoreline. The upper part of the stem rises above the water surface 20-50 cm, is frequently hairy, and supports the flowers. Flower: The flower is 12-24 mm across and has 5 deep red petals (2-6 mm long) that turn purple late in summer. The 5 reddish sepals are much longer than the petals. Blooms June through August. Fruit: Marsh cinquefoil has smooth, brownish-purple, clustered egg-shaped achenes, about 1.5 mm long. Root: Roots from the nodes of stolons. Propagation: Seeds and stolons Importance of plant: The leaves and the seeds are eaten by browsing animals and waterfowl. The roots were used by Native Americans as a medicinal plant for dysentery and stomach cramps. Distribution: Northern North America. Habitat: Marsh cinquefoil grows in bogs, marshes, wet meadows, creek banks, and lake margins. It is always associated with fresh, non-brackish water. May be confused with: Pacific
Line Drawings: None available |
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silverweed (Potentilla pacifica)
or common silverweed (Potentilla anserina), both of which have
cream-colored to yellow flowers and are tolerant of brackish water.