Flowering in May.
Potentilla argyrophylla var. argyrophylla is close relative of Potentilla argyrophylla var. atrosanguinea, but differs from the latter in its petals, stamens, and styles yellow (vs. purple).
Potentilla argyrophylla is occurring in Xizang of China, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim.
Phylogeny of Potentilla and associated genera were inferred from nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences (Eriksson et al., 1998). Most parsimonious tree strongly implies that Potentilla is not monophyletic. Several morphological features appear to have evolved several times independently, including the swollen receptacle and ternate leaves.
Herbs perennial. Roots terete. Flowering stems erect or basally slightly curved, 15-20 cm tall, together with petioles densely silvery tomentose and villous. Radical leaves 5-10 cm long including petiole; stipules brown, membranous, abaxially appressed white sericeous, later glabrescent; leaf blade 3-foliolate; leaflets sessile or terminal one very shortly petiolulate, obovate, elliptic, or broadly ovate, 1.5-2 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, abaxially densely silvery tomentose, appressed silvery sericeous on veins, adaxially appressed silvery sericeous, base cuneate or broadly so, margin sharply incised serrate, apex obtuse; cauline leaves 2 or 3, shortly petiolate, small; stipules green, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, herbaceous, abaxially tomentose and villous, margin entire, apex acuminate. Inflorescence terminal, 2-3-flowered. Flowers ca. 2 cm in diameter; pedicel 2-2.5 cm long, tomentose and villous. Sepals triangular-lanceolate, apex acuminate; epicalyx segments elliptic-ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, nearly equaling sepals, abaxially appressed white sericeous. Petals yellow, obcordate, ca. 2 times as long as sepals, apex markedly emarginate. Stamens yellow. Style subterminal, yellow, ca. 2.5 times as long as ovary; stigma slightly dilated, capitate.
Growing in forests, thickets, sandy river banks; 3700-4000 m.
