| Potentilla norvegica L. | |
| Publ. & Syn. | L., Sp. Pl.: 499 (1753). Described from Europe and Canada: "Habitat in Norvegiæ, Sueciæ, Borussiæ, Canadæ". Lectotype (LINN): Herb. Linn. 655.41 (Jonsell and Jarvis 2002: 75). The origin of the type specimen (Europe or Canada) is not mentioned but Linnaeus' choice of name suggests Europe. |
| Notes | Two races of Potentilla norvegica have been proposed, one native to Eurasia and another native to North America, but the distinctions are not clear and the applications of names are confused. The commonly applied name for the North American plant - P. monspeliensis L. - should be based on a European type ("Habitat in Monspelii", i.e., Montpellier in France), see below. The name P. hirsuta Michx. is based on North American plants but this name has recently been applied also for parts of the European variation (Kurtto et al. 2004). The evaluation of Hultén (1946: 1023) may still be valid: "The variations of the main type and subsp. monspeliensis in the North American meaning overlap. It is therefore not possible in each particular case to say whether a given specimen belongs to the American or to the European population." The two proposed races are entered provisionally. |
| Chromosomes | (1) 42 (6x). - Cultivated plants. - Popoff (1939). (2) 56 (8x). - Russia, Siberia (N, S), Far East, Canada, U.S.A. - Numerous reports, some American ones for P. monspeliensis. (3) 63 (9x). - Siberia (S). - Belaeva and Siplivinsky (1976). (4) 70 (10x). - Europe, Russia, Siberia (S), Canada, U.S.A. - Numerous reports. |
| Geography | Circumboreal. |
| Distribution | N = F AN = r GW = * E = S CC = s HL = s FN = ** CE = * AW = r Tm = ** KP = * [ key ] |
| Parent taxon | Potentilla L. |
| Child taxa |
Potentilla norvegica subsp. hirsuta (Michx.) Hyl. Potentilla norvegica subsp. norvegica |
| PAF ID | 641046 |