Potentilla norvegica L.
Rough cinquefoil, Norwegian cinquefoil, ternate-leaved cinquefoil
Rough cinquefoil is native to Europe, Asia, and parts of North America.
Plants: Plants start life as a basal rosette of leaves, later developing flowering stalks 1–2′ (30–60 cm) long. Stems are rough, densely hairy, often tinged with red or purple. The base of the leaf stalk has a pair of stipules, leaflike appendages up to 1″ (2.5 cm) long.
Leaves: Each leaf is alternate, divided into three segments, becoming smaller near the tips of stems. Leaves near the base have hairy stalks (petioles) up to 4″ (10 cm) long, while those nearer stem tips lack petioles. Leaves are up to 3 ⨉ 1½″ (7.6 ⨉ 3.8 cm). Individual leaflets are rounded at the tip and tapered at the base, and coarsely serrated.
Flowers: Individual flowers may appear along leaf axils, but most flowers appears in a panicle of cymes. Flowers are ¼–½″ (8.5–12 mm) around, with five oval to heart-shaped petals and 10-20 stamens with yellow anthers. Five green, star-shaped sepals are between and longer than the petals. Flowers appear in the summer.
Fruits: Somewhat flattened, dark brown, and 1/32″ (1 mm).
Habitats: Disturbed habitats, meadows or fields, and river or lake shores.
Online References:
6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
4/6/2012 · North Central Railroad Trail, Sparks, Maryland · ≈ 2½ × 2½″ (6.6 × 6.2 cm) 
4/6/2012 · North Central Railroad Trail, Sparks, Maryland · ≈ 5 × 4½″ (12 × 11 cm) 
7/18/2020 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm) 
7/18/2020 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.8 cm) 
6/26/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable, Dunstable, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) 
4/6/2012 · North Central Railroad Trail, Sparks, Maryland · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 15 cm) 
4/8/2012 · North Central Railroad Trail, Monkton Rd, Sparks, Maryland · ≈ 4½ × 3½″ (12 × 9.8 cm) 
7/18/2020 · Woodward Point Preserve, Brunswick, Maine · ≈ 5 × 4½″ (13 × 12 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Rosidae | Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more |
| Order | Rosales | Rose family and eight others |
| Family | Rosaceae | Includes apples, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, almonds, roses, meadowsweets, photinias, firethorns, rowans, and hawthorns; many others |
| Genus | Potentilla | Latin for “powerful,” for the medicinal qualities of some species |
| Species | norvegica | Of or from Norway |
Potentilla norvegica description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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