Five-finger.Potentilla Canadensis.Common Cinquefoil.
Found, from May to July, about dwellings and in pastures, and light shade; in sandy soil.
The root sends up a bunch of leaves, from which many long, slender, reddish runners spread; they vary much in length.
The compound leaves are 3-divided, with an appearance of being 5-parted the side leaflets are so deeply cleft into 2 divisions; the leaflets are wedge-shaped with noticeable ribs, sharply-toothed margin, thin texture, and downy surface. The color is a strong, full green, lighter underneath. The leaves, on long stems, rise from the root, or on very short stems are arranged along the running stems, in little groups, at rather long intervals apart.
The 5 heart-shaped petals of the flower are delicate in texture, and light pure yellow in color; the calyx is 5-parted, the divisions alternate with the petals, and with the 5 narrow bracts which hug the calyx closely,—all these parts are hairy, and green. The flowers, on slender stems, spring from the angles of the leaves, along the runners.
Sometimes the stems lift themselves nearly erect, but more often they lie upon the ground, where occasionally they throw out roots from the tufted leaves, and so cover the earth with a pretty interlacing network of green leaves, and red stems.