Potentilla micrantha

Potentilla micrantha, common name pink barren strawberry, is a species of cinquefoil belonging to the family Rosaceae.[1][2]

Potentilla micrantha
Close-up on a flower showing convergent stamens on the stigmas
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Potentilla
Species:
P. micrantha
Binomial name
Potentilla micrantha
Ramond ex DC.
Synonyms

Etymology

The species' name micrantha means with little flowers and comes from Greek micro (small) and anthos (flower).[3]

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs mainly in the Mediterranean Sea, in Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. It ranges from the Pyrenees through southern Europe to the Balkan Peninsula. It is mainly widespread in the mountains of Southern Europe, with some short-range areas of occurrence in Spain, Central Europe, the Black Sea, the Caucasus and South Africa. It grows wild in mountains and hills grasslands, in not too thick woods and bushy areas, but also in open environments, at an elevation up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level.

Description

Potentilla micrantha has a thin, short and densely pubescent stem, that can reach a height of about 10 centimetres (3.9 in), with no runners. These small perennial herbs are hairy-silky, non stoloniferous and have a thick stump. They show elliptical ternate small leaves showing numerous teeth on the edge. These leaves are gray-green on both sides, with straight hairs. They are rather similar to those of wild strawberries. Flowers are small with white or rarely pale pink petals. The petals are up to 3 mm wide. The calyx protrudes from the corolla, that has a diameter of 7–10 mm. A distinctive feature is the beetroot color of the inside calyx. This species is quite similar to Potentilla sterilis.[3][4][5]

Biology

This species blossoms usually from April to May, sometimes already in March.[4] When the flowers open, the stamens move towards the centre and arrange in a conical structure, where the anthers at the tip surround the stigmas. This structure involves an efficient autogamy mechanism, that guarantees the self-fetilization.[6] This plant reproduces by seeds.

  • Plant
  • Plant with flowers
  • Detail of leaves
  • Illustration from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen

See also

References
  1. "Potentilla micrantha". BioLib.cz. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  2. Augustin Pyrame de Candolle - Flore Francaise, ou Descriptions Succinctes de Toutes les Plantes qui Croissent Naturellement en France – Desray, Paris (tome 5, vol. 6, 1815)
  3. Den Virtuella Floran - Naturhistoriska riksmuseet 2000 (in Swedish)
  4. Tela Botanica (in French)
  5. Thomas Gaskell Tutin, Vernon Hilton Heywood, N. A. Burges Flora Europaea: Rosaceae to Umbelliferae Vol. 2
  6. A. Guillen, E. Rico, E. Castroviejo Reproductive biology of the Iberian species of Potentilla (Rosaceae)
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