Muqarrab Shah

Perennial, erect or ascending herbs. Rootstock thick, undivided. Stem 10-15 cm long, greenish red, pubescent. Leaves 3-5 foliate, subdigitate, petioles 4-7 cm long, densely pubescent. Basal stipules ovate-lanceolate, ferrugineus, auriculate, upper stipules, oblong-ovate, green. Leaflets 1.0-2.5 x 0.7-1.5 cm, obovate-cuneate, upper surface densely pubescent with sparse sessile pale glands, lower surface sparsely hairy, deeply and obtusely 6-12 serrate-dentate. Flowers 2-4, terminal, c. 1.5 cm diam. Calyces densely hairy, glandulose, outer oblong obtuse, inner ovate acute. Stamens and carpels numerous, style short, 0.8-0.9 mm, slightly thickened at the base, not pappilose.

Type: Xinjiang, Tsing He, alt. 2,460 m, viii-6-1956, R.C. Ching 1430 (HP).

A-8 Gilgit agency, Hispar glacier, 12500 to 13500 ft, hillside wh ere Salix was dominant, R. Scott Russell 1435 (BM).

Distribution: China and Pakistan.

A rare species, found between 2,400 – 5,500 m.

Potentilla x subdigitata Yu et Li is considered to be a hybrid between Potentilla desertorum (section Rivales) x Potentilla gelida (Aureae). It has some leaves quinate l ike Potentilla desertorum Whi le some are trifoliolate l ike Potentilla gelida. The plants are densely glandulose l ike both the parents and the style is intermediate in shape, i.e. it is slightly thickened at the base and not papillose. Potentilla desertorum has coniform styles strongly thickened and papillose at the base Whi le Potentilla gelida has claviform styles.