Potentilla recta subsp. obscura (Willd.) Arcang (syn. Potentilla obscura Willd.)

Taxonomy: Fam. Rosaceae// Genus: Potentilla// Species: Potentilla recta L.// Subspecies: Potentilla recta subsp. obscura (Willd.) Arcang.

Determined according to the botanical key provided by Micevski (1998) as Potentilla obscura Willd., Sp. Pl. ed. 4, II, 2: 1100 (1800). The accepted name in The Euro+Med PlantBase (source: Kurtto, 2009+) is Potentilla recta subsp. laciniosa (Nestl.) Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur. 1: 224. 1878.

Species variability: Three subspecies of Potentilla recta L. occur in the Osogovo region: Potentilla recta L. subsp. recta, Potentilla recta subsp. obscura (Willd.) Arcang. and Potentilla recta subsp. laciniosa (Nestl.) Nyman.

Distinction between subspecies:

Potentilla recta subsp. recta (syn. P. sulphurea): calyx glandular; petals pale yellow, much longer than calyx; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, dentate.

Potentilla recta subsp. obscura: calyx glandular; petals golden yellow, shorter to scarcely longer than calyx; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, dentate.

Potentilla recta subsp. obscura: calyx eglandular; petals golden yellow, much longer than calyx; leaflets oblong-lanceolate to oblong-linear, the cauline folded, deeply pinnatifid/ pinnatisect – divided almost to the mid-vein.

Lifeform: Perennial, hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiær system.

Distribution: Native to Italy, Central Europe to parts of East Europe, Türkiye and Caucasus according to the distribution information provided by The Euro+Med PlantBase (sorce: Kurtto, 2009+).

Habitat: Open habitats- grasslands and clearings of forests. Found at c. 1450 m altitude.

Flowering period: Summer: JUN, JUL.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – habit. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – inflorescence. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – flowers. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – flower. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – side view of flowers with calyx and epicalyx. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – calyx and epicalyx. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – calyx and epicalyx of spent flower and flower bud. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – spent flower. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – upper cauline leaves. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – stem and cauline leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – cauline leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – adaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – abaxial side of leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – stipules. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – upper part of stem. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – stem. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – basal leaves. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – basal leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – adaxial side of basal leaf. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Potentilla recta* subsp. *obscura* – leaf petiole. Osogovo – region between Visoka chuka (Ponikva) and Ratkova skala, 01.07.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Potentilla L. Micevski, K. (1998). The Flora of the Republic of Macedonia Vol. I, Book 4. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 934 – 974.

Potentilla recta subsp. obscura. Kurtto, A. (2009+): Rosaceae (pro parte majore). In: Euro+Med Plantbase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. https://europlusmed.org/cdm_dataportal/taxon/3dbdd1db-5f5a-4603-bafa-4fb9ee09aa40 [Accessed 12.02.2024].

Potentilla recta subsp. obscura (Willd.) Arcang. Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77252852-1 [Accessed 12.02.2024].

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