BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Potentilla glandulosa | Sticky Cinquefoil 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Shrubby cinquefoil is a highly variable glandular pubescent perennial
herb which grows from 0.3 to 2.6 feet (8-80 cm) in height [21,38].  One
to several erect woody stems grow from a branched woody caudex [8,21].
Individual stems are simple below the inflorescence [10].  Some
varieties or populations of sticky cinquefoil have rhizomes which range
from short to well-developed [8].  Other varieties or populations are
described as nonrhizomatous [14,29].  The inflorescence is a few- to
many-flowered open cyme [8,21].  Flowers may be inconspicuous or quite
showy [38].  The fruit is an achene [8].



RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Chameaphyte
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual:  Achenes are generally produced in abundance [38]; most fall
directly beneath the parent plant [14].  Wind dispersal or other types
of long-distance dispersal have not been reported for this species
[14,35].

Sticky cinquefoil stores comparatively large numbers of seed in the soil
[14,15,29].  Viable seed densities at several central Idaho sites ranged
from 0 to 840 per meter square [14].

The length of time buried seed remains viable is unknown.  Seeds
germinate prolifically after scarification of the forest floor by timber
harvest or heavy livestock use [30,31,32].

Shrubby cinquefoil seedlings emerged from soil 1 inch deep (2 cm) or
less in an eastern Oregon study [35].  In a central Idaho study, Kramer
[14] found that the viability of seeds obtained from the lower soil
layer was only 13 percent compared with 24 percent for seeds taken from
upper soil levels.  Maximum viable seed density was 840 per meter
square.  Overall seed viability was 19 percent.

Vegetative:  Some populations or varieties of sticky cinquefoil
reportedly have short to well-developed rhizomes [8].  Other
individuals, populations, or varieties are described as nonrhizomatous
[14,29].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Sticky cinquefoil grows on a wide range of sites in meadows, shrublands,
and montane coniferous forests.  It is a constituent of sagebrush
(Artemisia spp.), mountain brush, ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa),
lodgepole pine (P. contorta), aspen (Populus tremuloides), subalpine fir
(Abies lasiocarpa), and alpine meadow communities [21,38].  Sticky
cinquefoil occurs on both dry and moist sites from low to high
elevations on a number of soil types [21].

Potentilla glandulosa var. intermedia grows best on sandy loam to clay
loam soils [3].  Many varieties grow well on granitic soils [32].
Optimum soil depth for P. glandulosa var. intermedia is between 10 and
20 inches (25-51 cm) [3].  Site preferences for several recognized
varieties are given below [11,21,38]:

     var. campanulata - washes to tallus slopes
     var. intermedia - mountain brush, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine,
                       aspen, spruce-fir
     var. micropetala - sagebrush, mountain brush, alpine meadows
     var. pseudorupestris - open rocky sites, subalpine fir, alpine
                            sites
     var. nevadensis - moist sites, montane coniferous forests
     var. reflexa - dryish slopes, many plant communities

Elevational ranges of sticky cinquefoil are as follows [3,11,29]:
  
           5,000 to 12,400 feet (1,525-3,782 m) in California
           9,000 feet (2,745 m) in Colorado
           3,200 to 9,000 feet (976-2,745 m) in Montana
           4,689 to 10,700 feet (1,430-3,782 m) in Utah
           6,000 to 9,700 feet (1,830-2,959 m) in Wyoming


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Obligate Initial Community Species

Sticky cinquefoil is an early seral species in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziezii)/ninebark (Physocarpus malvaceus), grand fir (Abies
grandis)/mountain maple (Acer glabrum), grand fir/globe huckleberry
(Vaccinium globulare), and Douglas-fir/pinegrass (Calamagrostis
rubescens) habitat types of central Idaho [29,20,31,32,33].  This
shade-intolerant species responds well following grazing, fire, or other
types of disturbance.  Sticky cinquefoil is commonly the dominant
understory plant on heavily grazed sites with granitic soils.  It is
rarely found in mature, climax forests [14].

Daubenmire [4] referred to unspecified "cinquefoils" as common climax
dominants in some alpine meadow communities of the Rocky Mountains.
Athough sticky cinquefoil is a consituent of many mountain meadow
communities, it is unclear whether or not this species could be regarded
as a climax dominant on these sites.


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Flowering occurs from May or June to July or August [8,10]. 

Related categories for Species: Potentilla glandulosa | Sticky Cinquefoil