tormentil

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Tormentil
• bloodroot
• cinquefoil
• shepherd's-knot

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Potentilla sylvestris var. latiloba
• Potentilla erecta var. latiloba
• Potentilla erecta var. typica
• Potentilla sylvestris var. hirta
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. pinnatifida
• Potentilla erecta f. herminii
• Tormentilla recta var. alpina
• Potentilla erecta f. stenopetala
• Potentilla tormentilla subsp. sylvestris
• Potentilla erecta var. maurorum
• Tormentilla erecta
• Fragaria tormentilla
• Potentilla tormentilla var. pubescens
• Potentilla tormentilla proles reducta
• Potentilla tormentilla var. sciaphila
• Potentilla tormentilla var. sericea
• Potentilla tormentilla f. divergens
• Potentilla tormentilla var. strictissima
• Potentilla tormentilla subsp. divergens
• Potentilla tormentilla var. divergens
• Potentilla tormentilla var. elatior
• Potentilla tormentilla erecta
• Potentilla tormentilla var. erecta
• Potentilla tormentilla fallax
• Potentilla tormentilla var. herminii
• Potentilla tormentilla var. hirta
• Potentilla tormentilla var. humifusa
• Potentilla tormentilla var. insignis
• Potentilla tormentilla var. latiloba
• Potentilla tormentilla var. lusitanica
• Potentilla tormentilla var. minima
• Potentilla tormentilla var. minor
• Potentilla tormentilla var. nana
• Potentilla tormentilla var. nemoralis
• Potentilla tormentilla var. pentapetala
• Potentilla tormentilla pinnatifida
• Potentilla tormentilla f. polypetala
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. alpina
• Potentilla sylvestris var. curiensis
• Potentilla tormentilla elatior
• Potentilla tormentilla subsp. sylvestris
• Potentilla tormentilla var. umbrosa
• Potentilla tormentilla
• Potentilla erecta var. strictissima
• Potentilla tormentilla var. curiensis
• Potentilla tormentilla var. dacica
• Potentilla sylvestris var. distendens
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. daonensis
• Potentilla sylvestris proles divergens
• Potentilla sylvestris proles dyscritos
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. fissistipula
• Potentilla sylvestris var. fleischmannii
• Potentilla sylvestris proles favratii
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. hirsuta
• Potentilla sylvestris proles langei
• Potentilla sylvestris f. incisa
• Potentilla sylvestris proles lusitanica
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. macropetala
• Potentilla sylvestris proles sciaphila
• Potentilla sylvestris f. strictissima
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. integristipula
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. sylvatica
• Potentilla sylvestris f. sylvatica
• Potentilla erecta var. curiensis
• Potentilla erecta dacica
• Potentilla erecta var. dacica
• Potentilla erecta var. herminii
• Potentilla erecta var. micrantha
• Potentilla erecta f. herminii
• Potentilla erecta var. herminii
• Potentilla erecta var. procumbens
• Potentilla erecta f. pusilla
• Potentilla erecta f. minor
• Potentilla erecta f. monacensis
• Potentilla erecta f. sciaphila
• Potentilla erecta var. sciaphila
• Potentilla erecta f. sericea
• Potentilla erecta strictissima
• Potentilla erecta var. strictissima
• Potentilla erecta subsp. strictissima
• Potentilla erecta f. subpinnatifida
• Potentilla erecta var. vulgaris
• Potentilla dacica
• Potentilla daonensis
• Potentilla divergens
• Potentilla divergens
• Tormentilla dissecta
• Tormentilla divergens
• Tormentilla erecta var. alpina
• Tormentilla erecta f. divergens
• Tormentilla erecta parviflora
• Tormentilla erecta var. sparsiflora
• Tormentilla erecta f. strictissima
• Tormentilla erecta var. typica
• Tormentilla ericetorum
• Tormentilla gracilis
• Tormentilla orophila
• Tormentilla adstringens
• Tormentilla parviflora var. petiolata
• Tormentilla parviflora var. sessilifolia
• Tormentilla montana
• Tormentilla nodosa
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. turfosa
• Potentilla strictissima
• Potentilla monacensis
• Potentilla favratii
• Potentilla strictissima f. hirsuta
• Potentilla strictissima f. turfosa
• Potentilla sciaphila
• Potentilla reducta
• Potentilla neumayeriana
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. macrophylla
• Potentilla sylvestris var. monacensis
• Potentilla sylvestris var. monacensis
• Potentilla sylvestris var. neumayeriana
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. parviflora
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. parvifolia
• Potentilla sylvestris subvar. patula
• Potentilla sylvestris var. pubescens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Rosales, it is classified under the family Rosaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is within the genus Potentiella.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across several regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark and Finland. The species is also documented within the Faroe Islands, which are known as Føroyar. Furthermore, its presence extends to the island of Iceland. Finally, this medicinal plant is widely distributed throughout Great Britain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Potentiella erecta is characterized by its adaptability to a diverse range of moist and semi-moist environments. It is frequently found inhabiting cut-over forests, dense forests, and forest edges, where it thrives in the transitional light conditions provided by varying canopy cover. Beyond forested areas, this species successfully colonizes open habitats such as meadows and old fields, often occupying spaces where soil moisture remains relatively consistent. Furthermore, its presence extends into wetter ecological niches, including swamps, indicating a tolerance for saturated soil conditions. This broad distribution across both woodland and open, hydric landscapes allows the plant to occupy various successional stages within its ecosystem.

Habitat :

cut-over forest, forest, forest edges, meadows, old fields, swamps

Life history

The life history of Potentiella erecta is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form in which the perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or other organic matter. In terms of its foliage, the species maintains an evergreen habit, retaining its leaves throughout the year.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Potentiilla erecta is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a self-supporting, independent plant that does not function as a parasite or an epiphyte, maintaining a terrestrial existence. The plant typically exhibits an ascending shoot orientation. In terms of stature, it is a relatively low-growing species, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, maintaining a mean height of approximately 0.15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.15 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

ascending

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Potentiella erecta is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey. Morphologically, its foliage is defined by a mean leaf size of 1.485 cm², which contributes to a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 262.95 cm²/g, reflecting a specific structural investment in leaf tissue density and surface area relative to its dry mass.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

1.485 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

262.95 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Potentiilla erecta is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers, though self-fertilization is noted as absent. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in August. Pollination is achieved through biotic syndromes, specifically involving insects, with bees identified as a key pollinator. Following fertilization, the plant produces fleshy, indehiscent fruits classified as achenes. These fruits contain a significant number of seeds, ranging from 101 to 1000 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0004192 g (ranging from 0.0002 g to 0.00075 g) and a consistent volume of 0.35 mm³. For dispersal, the plant utilizes a zoochorous strategy, specifically through epizoochory, which allows the seeds to be transported by animals. Asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00075 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000419208333333333 g

Seed mass min:

2e-04 g

Seed volume max:

0.35 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Potentilla erecta has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Tannin, Tannins, Urolithin C, urolithin A.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannin

1. Journal of clinical gastroenterology

Tannins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Urolithin C

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

urolithin A

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

urolithin B

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Potentilla erecta has 6 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include atopic dermatitis, cancer, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, rosacea.

Atopic dermatitis

1. Biomedicines

Cancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Hyperglycemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hyperlipidemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Rosacea

1. Biomedicines

Ulcerative colitis

1. Journal of clinical gastroenterology

Preparations

Potentilla erecta has 4 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include crude ethanol extracts, rhizomes, tinctures, water extracts.

Crude ethanol extracts

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Rhizomes

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Tinctures

1. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Water extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology