Potentilla recta.commons.wikimedia.org. (accessed 11/2014).

Potentilla recta is a perennial herb from a from a branching, woody rootstock; stem erect to 70 cm tall, unbranched below inflorescence, stems hairy. 

Leaves alternate, palmately compound, 5-7 narrow, hairy, coarsely toothed, leaflets to 14 cm long, green, rough-hairy on both sides, forming a winter rosette.

Flowers pale yellow, radially symmetrical, 5-parted, numerous,to 2.5 cm wide; inflorescence branched, top flattened; blooming (mostly in June) and fruiting May-Sept (Hough 1983). Visited by bees (Andrenidae) that collect pollen, outcrossing.

Fruit dry, a head of achenes, no specific dispersal (Soule and Werner 1981).

Wetland status: UPL.

Frequency in NYC: Infrequent.

Origin: Europe.

Habitat: Open areas, dry soil of roadsides, edges, part-shade in early successional sites.

Note: Host to Sphaerotheca humuli a mildew fungus of Rose family plants and Septoria rectae (Werner and Soule 1976).