Potentilla micrantha
Close-up on a flower showing convergent stamens on the stigmas
Scientific classification Edit this 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
List
  • Fraga micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) Fourr.
  • Fragaria breviscapa (Vest) Crantz
  • Fragaria micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) Tratt.
  • Fragaria recurva Kit. ex Gomb¢cz
  • Fragariastrum micranthum (Ramond ex DC.) Schur
  • Potentilla breviscapa Vest
  • Potentilla fragaria Lange ex Ten
  • Potentilla fragaria subsp. micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) Nestl.
  • Potentilla fragaria var. micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) F.W.Schultz
  • Potentilla fragariastrum var. micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) F.W.Schultz
  • Potentilla fragariastrum subsp. micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) Bonnier & Layens
  • Potentilla micrantha subsp. breviscapa (Vest) Gams
  • Potentilla parviflora Desf.
  • Potentilla parviflora Clairv.
  • Potentilla parviflora var. tinei Tod. ex Lojac.
  • Potentilla sterilis var. micrantha (Ramond ex DC.) Fiori

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

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 (Germany, Switzerland), 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 up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in), with no runners (non -stoloniferous). The small perennial herb has hairy-silky leaves, and a thick stump. It shows elliptical ternate small leaves with 6-11 teeth on the edge. These leaves are gray-green on both sides, with straight hairs. Potentilla micrantha resembles 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. The species is quite similar to Potentilla sterilis.[3][4][5]

Biology

This species blossoms usually from April to May, sometimes already in March.[4] Flowering time in Germany and Switzerland is from March to May.[6] 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-fertilization.[7] This plant reproduces by seeds.

See also

References

Wikispecies has information related to Potentilla micrantha.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Potentilla micrantha.
  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. 1 2 Den Virtuella Floran - Naturhistoriska riksmuseet 2000 (in Swedish)
  4. 1 2 Tela Botanica (in French)
  5. ↑ Thomas Gaskell Tutin, Vernon Hilton Heywood, N. A. Burges Flora Europaea: Rosaceae to Umbelliferae Vol. 2
  6. ↑ "BiolFlor Recherchesystem". 2016-03-04. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  7. ↑ A. Guillen, E. Rico, E. Castroviejo Reproductive biology of the Iberian species of Potentilla (Rosaceae), 2005
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