Panarctic Flora

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641022 Potentilla dezhnevii Jurtz.

Distribution

East Chukotka: Rare
Northern Alaska - Yukon: Rare
Shrub Tundra: Rare

GBIF

Geography: Amphi-Beringian: RFE ALA.

Notes: Elven and Murray: Potentilla dezhnevii is assumed to be a hybrid species from P. anachoretica and perhaps P. subvahliana. The supposition of P. subvahliana as a parent is based on Soják (2004). Yurtsev (PAF proposal) tentatively suggested P. uniflora but that species is largely absent from the Chukchi Peninsula and there replaced by P. subvahliana (and P. villosula).

Potentilla murrayi was described from the Brooks Range in northern Alaska and is proposed to have the same parentage as P. dezhnevii: P. anachoretica x subvahliana. The influence from P. subvahliana is distinct in its columnar tussocks and partly also in leaves and flowers. If P. dezhnevii and P. murrayi are interpreted as one hybrid species arisen in at least two places from the same parents, some differences are to be expected. We tentatively synonymize the names until a more thorough morphological (and experimental) investigation is undertaken, but see Yurtsev's notes below.

Yurtsev: Potentilla dezhnevii in the eastern Chukchi Peninsula and P. murrayi in northern Alaska, both plants of limestone, combine the characters of P. anachoretica and a species of the P. uniflora aggregate. They differ significantly in pubescence of petioles: long soft patent in P. dezhnevii (P. uniflora?), shorter setulose straight, slightly inclined in P. murrayi (P. subvahliana?). Both of them might represent primary hybrids which do not constitute populations. They should be mentioned in comment to P. anachoretica. Potentilla murrayi, though, is from the area of or vicinity of the Alaskan locality where P. anachoretica occurs.

Elven and Murray: Potentilla murrayi is strikingly different from all other Potentillas in the area from where it was described. It forms a large and morphologically consistent population and is no primary hybrid. It is, however, local and without known P. anachoretica in the vicinity (even if it is known from the same mountain range). Potentilla dezhnevii and P. murrayi may still be candidates for local agamic biotypes rather than one or two species.

Higher Taxa