potentilla

po·ten·til·la

cinquefoil (sense )

Origin of potentilla

ModL, name of the genus from ML, valerian, diminutive of Classical Latin potens: see potent

potentilla

noun

See cinquefoil.

Origin of potentilla

Medieval Latin garden valerian from Latin potēns potent- present participle of posse to be able ; see potent .

potentilla

Noun

(plural potentillas)

Any of many shrubs and herbs of the genus Potentilla; the cinquefoils

Proper noun

Potentilla f

A taxonomic genus within the family Rosaceae "” the cinquefoils.

Usage notes

Some groups of species of Potentilla are treated by authors as being in separate genera: Argentina, Comarum, Dasiphora, Drymocallis, and Sibbaldia.

SentencesSentence examples

Sentence Examples

The alpine rose (Rhododendron dauricum) clusters in masses on the higher mountains; juniper, spiraea, sorbus, the pseudo-acacia (Caragana sibirica and C. arborescens, C. jubata in some of the higher tracts), various Rosaceae - Potentilla fruticosa and Cotoneaster uniflora - the wild cherry (Prunus Padus), and many other shrubs occupy the spaces between the trees.
Higher up, in the picturesque gorges, grow rhododendrons, willows, Potentilla fruticosa, Spriaeae, Lonicereae, &c., and the rains must evidently be more copious and better distributed.
The rose family is represented by Prunus, Potentilla, Fragaria, Rosa, Rubus and Amelanchier.
Of herbaceous plants species of Ranunculus, Potentilla, Geranium, Thalictrum, Primula, Gentiana and many other European forms are common.
The name has been unsystematically given to several other plants; for instance: bastard, Dutch, hemp or water agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum); noble or three-leaved agrimony (Anemone hepatica); water agrimony (Bidens); and wild agrimony (Potentilla anserina).

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Words near potentilla in the dictionary