Perennials, 1-stemmed to ± tufted, not stoloniferous; taproots not fleshy-thickened, often giving rise to ± thickened lateral roots; vestiture of well-differentiated long and short hairs, glands common to abundant, not red. Stems erect, not flagelliform, not rooting at nodes, from centers of ephemeral basal rosettes, 1.5–7 dm, lengths (2–)3–5 times basal or proximal cauline leaves. Leaves: basal not in ranks; cauline (3–)5–9; primary leaves palmate, proximal ones 5–18 cm; petiole: long hairs spreading, stiff, glands common to abundant; leaflets 5–7, at tip of leaf axis, separate, oblanceolate, margins flat or ± revolute, ± whole length ± evenly incised 1/3–1/2 to midvein, teeth 7–17 per side, surfaces ± similar, green, not glaucous, long hairs stiff, cottony and/or crisped hairs absent. Inflorescences (3–)7–60+-flowered, cymose, ± open. Pedicels straight in fruit, 0.5–2(–3) cm, proximal often much longer than distal. Flowers 5-merous; hypanthium 5–9 mm diam.; petals pale [to bright] yellow, obcordate, (4–)7–10(–13) mm, equal to or longer than sepals, apex retuse, rarely rounded; stamens 25–30; styles subapical, columnar-tapered, not or slightly papillate-swollen in proximal 1/3, 0.8–1.3 mm. Achenes strongly rugose.

Distribution

Eurasia, n Africa, introduced also in South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

Species 8–14 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Potentilla recta