Potentilla argentea L.

Ascending to erect perennial herb up to c. 50 cm tall, with branches arising from a stout, woody stock; stems ± woody, brown to reddish purple, white-tomentose. Lvs both basal and cauline; petiole up to 20–(55) mm long, pilose; blade reniform, palmate; leaflets usually 5, oblanceolate to obovate, sessile, (5)–8–16–(24) × 3–15 mm, dark green to greyish and usually glabrate to sparsely hairy, rarely moderately hairy above, densely white- to grey-tomentose below; margins recurved, with 1–3 pairs of teeth in upper 1/2, sometimes ± pinnatifid; upper cauline lvs becoming ± sessile, smaller and often finally 3-fid; stipules lanceolate, white-tomentose below, acuminate and sometimes with 1–(2) teeth. Fls in diffuse, terminal cymes, 5-merous. Epicalyx segments subulate, 1.5–3 mm long, acute, entire. Sepals ovate-triangular, = or slightly > epicalyx segments, sparsely to densely tomentose, connate at base. Petals broadly obovate, 2–4–(5) mm long, yellow, very shallowly emarginate or rounded. Style filiform-conic. Achenes ± smooth or slightly reticulate, not winged, 0.7–1 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Nov.–Mar.; Fruiting: Dec.–Apr.