| Sibbaldiopsis | |
|---|---|
| Sibbaldiopsis tridentata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Subfamily: | Rosoideae |
| Genus: | Sibbaldiopsis Rydb. |
| Species: | S. tridentata |
| Binomial name | |
| Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (Ait.) Rydb. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Potentilla tridentata Ait. |
|
Sibbaldiopsis is a genus in the plant family Rosaceae. (formerly in Potentilla), the Three-toothed Cinquefoil is the single representative of this genus. Systemic phylogenetic work has placed S. tridentata closer to Aphanes and Sibbaldia than to Potentilla (Erikkson et al. 2003).
S. tridentata is commonly found in eastern Canada and parts of Greenland, south into the northeastern US, with disjunct populations extending down the Appalachian mountains. The southernmost known populations are located in Georgia and North Carolina, and occupy high-elevation rock outcrops and grassy balds (USDA 2007). S.tridentata is a short (0.3–3 dm tall) woody perennial. It has leaves with 3 palmately arranged leaflets approximately 1–4 cm long which are toothed at the apex (typically three teeth). The leaves are retained in winter, but often with a red coloring. Flowers are small and white, radial, and arranged in a compound bracteate cymbe. The individual flowers resemble flowers from the genus Potentilla (Radford et al. 1968). S. tridentata is listed as endangered in 5 US states (USDA 2007).