potentilla

British  

/ ˌpəʊtənˈtɪlə /

noun

1. any rosaceous plant or shrub of the N temperate genus Potentilla, having five-petalled flowers See also cinquefoil silverweed tormentil

---

Etymology

Origin of potentilla

C16: New Latin, from Medieval Latin: garden valerian, from Latin potēns powerful, _potent ¹

Example Sentences

Nov. 14, 2003: “What a treat to see late potentilla, pansies and even petunias in bloom. ... These have not been bad replacements for snow at the end of October.”

From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2021

A few of the most common ground covers include ajuga, jasmine, juniper, ivy, pachysandra, wintercreeper, periwinkle, cotoneaster, potentilla, liriope and partridge berry.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the borders of little streams larger plants flourish--lupines, daisies, asters, goldenrods, hairbell, mountain columbine, potentilla, astragalus and a few gentians; with charming heathworts--bryanthus, cassiope, kalmia, vaccinium in boulder-fringing rings or bank covers.

From The Yosemite by Muir, John

I saw a few plants anchored in the less crumbling parts of the steep-faced bosses and steps—parnassia, potentilla, hedysarum, lutkea, etc.

From Travels in Alaska by Muir, John

Rhubarb, rheum palmatum, oak-galls, gall� quercin�, tormentil, tormentilla erecta, cinquefoil potentilla, red-roses, uva ursi, simarouba.

From Zoonomia, Vol. II Or, the Laws of Organic Life by Darwin, Erasmus