Potentina tabernaemontani, Ascherson

49. P. tabernaemontani Ascherson , Verh. Bot. Ver. Brandenb. 32: 156 (1891)

( P. verna auct., non L., P. verna subsp. vulgaris (Ser.) Gaudin ).

Mat-forming perennial, with numerous procumbent woody stems freely rooting at the nodes, and short, ascending, lateral flowering stems usually not more than 10 cm high;

hairiness variable, but consisting of simple hairs only. Leaves digitate; leaflets 5-7, 8-40 x 4-15 mm, cuneate-oblanceolate to -obovate, dentate or cuneate-dentate; stipules of basal leaves linear. Flowers 1 -12. Sepals ovate; epicalyx-segments lanceolate, obtuse, usually much shorter than the sepals. Petals 6-10 mm, yellow, longer than sepals. Achenes rugose; style conical at base, slightly davate at apex. 2/z = 42,49, 50, 56, c. 60, 63, 70, c. 84. Dry grassland and rocky places, usually lowland. • N., IV. & C. Europe, extending to the Baltic region, White Russia and Bulgaria. AuBeBuBrCoCzDa *FeGaGeHeHoHs HuItNoPoRm Rs (*N, B, C) Su.

Extremely variable. This polyploid complex is, so far as is known, wholly apomictic, and almost certainly arose by hybridization from related sexual species (40-51). Many taxa have been described, differing in habit, hairiness, leaflet-shape and -number, but no satisfactory taxonomic treatment is possible in the present state of knowledge.

The records of this species and 51 from Finland are almost all erroneous. They refer to P. subarenaria Borbas ex Zimmeter , Gatt. Potent. 21 (1884), an apomictic species probably of recent hybrid origin from 49 and 51, which also occurs in C. Europe.