Potentilla bruceae
Bruce's cinquefoil
(c) Elaine with Grey Cats, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Potentilla bruceae (Bruce's cinquefoil) is a native California perennial in the Rosaceae family, recognized by . Deeply lobed palmate leaflets and gray-hairy appearance.
Bruce's cinquefoil is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, High Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in seasonally dry meadows at elevations of 1,200 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white to pale yellow flowers with delicate petals 5 to 8 millimeters long. Growing with ascending stems 15 to 50 centimeters tall and covered in shaggy to cottony hairs, it forms a compact tufted habit from a few-branched caudex. Its palmate leaves feature 5 to 7 leaflets, with the central leaflet 15 to 50 millimeters long, obovate to oblanceolate, and typically 7 to 13-toothed, often appearing gray-hairy. The small fruits are approximately 1.5 millimeters long and brown, with a smooth to slightly veined surface.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 21 sympatric species. Deeply lobed palmate leaflets and gray-hairy appearance.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Seasonally dry meadows
Elevation: 1200-3700 m
California counties: Modoc, Mono, Inyo, Amador, Alpine, Madera, Siskiyou, Fresno, Nevada, Tulare, Tuolumne, Butte, Plumas, Sierra, El Dorado, Placer, Mendocino
Outside California: adjacent Nevada, southwestern Oregon
Bloom period
Potentilla bruceae blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Drymocallis: Potentilla styles stay thread-thin throughout; Drymocallis styles are swollen in the middle like tiny clubs.; vs Fragaria: Potentilla typically has 5+ leaflets; Fragaria has three leaflets.; vs Argentina: Potentilla leaves are green on both sides; Argentina leaves are silvery-white beneath.; vs Ranunculus: Potentilla has compound leaves with distinct leaflets; Ranunculus typically has lobed or divided leaves.; vs Rubus: Potentilla is herbaceous with dry seed clusters; Rubus is woody-stemmed with compound berry fruits.
Frequently asked questions
Is Potentilla bruceae native to California?
Yes. Potentilla bruceae is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Potentilla bruceae bloom?
Potentilla bruceae blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Potentilla bruceae grow?
Potentilla bruceae occurs in Modoc, Mono, Inyo, Amador, Alpine, Madera, Siskiyou, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3700 m.
What plant family does Potentilla bruceae belong to?
Potentilla bruceae is in the Rosaceae family, genus Potentilla.
What habitat does Potentilla bruceae grow in?
Potentilla bruceae grows in Seasonally dry meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.