Introduction

The genus Potentilla consists of about 500 species and is mainly distributed in temperate to arctic or alpine regions of the northern hemisphere with some species in the southern hemisphere (Mabbedy 1987).

Section Leptostylae is distributed mainly in the Himalaya and adjacent regions from Afghanistan to China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Xizang) and the Malesian archipelago through Myanmar, except P. anserina and P. anserinoides. P. anserina is widely distributed in temperate to arctic regions in Europe, Asia, including the Himalaya, and America. Potentilla anserinoides, a close relative of P. anserina, also occurs in New Zealand (Rousi 1965).

In the Himalaya, the species of Leptostylae are found widely in the alpine regions and are sometimes the dominant plants. Because they grow in various habitats and show considerable variation in morphology, Potentilla is a good model for the study of speciation and diversification of at high altitudes in the Himalaya. However, the taxonomy of Himalayan Potentilla is not yet satisfactory. This paper provides a revision of the species of Leptostylae found in the region from Himalaya to China, including Xizang (Tibet) and Myanmar (Burma). In this treatment, I adopted the concept that a species is distinguished from other species by qualitative morphological differences. If discontinuous quantitative characters are found within a species, infraspecific taxa are recognized.

Acronyms of herbaria follow Index Herbariorum, Part 1 (Holmgren, Holmgren and Barnet 1990).

History

Taxonomic study of Himalayan Potentilla was begun in the early 19th century when D.Don (1825) described nine species of Potentilla based on specimens collected by Buchanan-Hamilton and Wallich. Three of these species, P. leuconota, P. peduncularis and P. microphylla, belong to Leptostylae. Wallich (1828-1849) proposed many new names in his lithographically printed catalogue, including P. velutina and three variants of P. microphylla, β. glabriuscula, γ. depressa and δ. latifolia in Leptostylae. Lehmann (1856) revised Potentilla and treated Wallich's P. velutina as a synonym of P. peduncularis and described Wallich's no. 1010δ as an distinct species, P. commutata.

Hooker (1878) recognized 39 species of Potentilla, including P. anserina, P. peduncularis, P. leuconota, and P. microphylla, which belong to Leptostylae. He recognized three sections, sect. Sibbaldia with 7 species, sect. Trichothalamus with 4 species and sect. Potentilla (as sect. Potentilla proper) with 28 species. Section Sibbaldia is now usually treated a distinct genus. The remaining herbaceous species including these of sect. Leptostylae were all classified in sect. Potentilla. Although sect. Potentilla is heterogenous. Hooker's treatment has been regarded as the basis of the systematics of Himalayan Potentilla.

Wolf (1908) published the first detailed monograph of Potentilla. He constructed the infrageneric system comprising two sections and six subsections based on differences in hairiness of the pistils and/or the shape and position of the styles. He recognized seven species in Leptostylae, of which five species, P. anserina, P. peduncularis, P. leuconota, P. microphylla, and P. tatsienluensis are distributed in the Himalaya and adjacent regions.

After Hooker (1878), a great number of specimens of Potentilla were collected from various Himalayan regions and deposited in several herbaria, particularly A, BM, E, K, KYO, TI and US. Ohashi (1979) enumerated the Nepalese species. Grierson & Long (1987) treated the Bhutanese species of Potentilla, and recognized four species in Leptostylae.

Plants of the high mountains in China (mainly Yunnan and Sichuan) were first collected by French missionaries, such as Delavay and Soulié , in the middle 19th century. Franchet (1890) described P. peduncularis var. stenophylla based on Delavay's collection. Later Potentilla was also collected from China by Porrest, Rock, Smith and Kingdon-Ward. Diels (1912a, 1912b), Smith (1914), Handel-Mazzetti (1939) and Fletcher (1950) described several new species from among their collections. Symbolae Sinicae was the first publication in which the species of Potentilla from the high mountains of China were treated (Handel-Mazzetti 1933). Handel-Mazzetti recognized 30 species of Potentilla, including seven species of Leptostylae with one new species, P. turfosa.

Yü and Li (1980, 1985) revised Chinese Potentilla using a modified infrageneric system. Their system is fundamentally the same as Wolf's (1908), but they changed the rank and added several new infrageneric taxa. Leptostylae was treated as a section in subgenus Gymnocarpae with 15 species. Recent treatments of Potentilla in regional floras of China, for example, Yü, Lu and Ku (1985) for Xizang, Ku (1993) for the Hengduan mountains, follow Yü and Li (1985).

Materials and Methods

Morphological features and variation in Potentilla sect. Leptostylae were observed in about 2000 herbarium specimens.

Branching patterns and life forms were observed in the field and in herbarium specimens. Floral and other parts were observed using a binocular microscope and were drawn with the aid of a camera lucida after boiling in water.

Chromosome numbers were counted in root tips. Root tips were collected in the field and pretreated in 2 mM 8-hydroxyquinoline solution for 2-3 hours and fixed in Newcomer's fluid (see Sharma & Sharma 1980, Wakabayashi 1988). Root tips were macerated in IN HCl at 60°C for 10.5 minutes and stained with 2% lacto-propionic orcein and squashed for cytolosical observation.

Results and Discussions

A. Morphological Characters

1. Life forms based on branching patterns (Tab. 1; Figs. 1 & 2)

Four life forms, rosette, cushion, rhizomatous and stoloniferous, are found in sect. Leptostylae. These life forms are produced from six different vegetative branching patterns (Fig. 1). The Leuconota type (Fig. 1e) and Aristata type (Fig. 1f) produce rosettes; the Microphylla type (Fig. 1c) produces cushions; the Peduncularis type (Fig. 1d) is rhizomatous; the Smithiana type (Fig. 1a) and Anserina type (Fig, 1b) are stoloniferous.

Within the six branching patterns, the Smithiana type is sympodial and the others are monopodial.

a. Smithiana Type
Potentilla smithiana and P. taronensis have axillary shoots terminating in a flower and bear a new vegetative shoot from the axil of the uppermost leaf. After producing several flowering shoots the axillary shoot eventually produces a new individual when the tip touches the ground, forms adventitious roots and becomes detached from the mother plant (Fig. 1a).

b. Leuconota Type
The stems do not branch or branch only occasionally (Fig. 1e). Potentilla festiva, P. josephiana, P. lineata, P. fallens, P. polyphylla, P. turfosa, P. turfosoides, P. cardotiana, P. tristis, P. commutata, P. leuconota, P. montisvictoriae, and P. wenchuensis belong to the Leuconota type.

c. Microphylla Type
Potentilla microphylla and P. stenophylla have many lateral stems with many leaves at the base. The lateral stems elongate from the axils of radical and cauline leaves (Fig. 1c). The branches and old leaves form a cushion.

d. Anserina Type
Potentilla anserina and P. gombalana differ from the others in having elongate stolons from the axils of radical leaves (Fig. 1b). The stolons do not terminate in a flower. In P. anserina the flowers and new vegetative shoots are produced from the axils of the leaves of stolons.

e. Peduncularis Type
Potentilla makaluensis, P. glabriuscula, P. peduncularis, and P. contigua have stems that arise from the nodes of subterranean rhizomes (Fig. 1d). The leaf blades of the cauline leaves on subterranean rhizomes are somewhat degenerate but are normal on terrestrial stems.

f. Aristata Type
Potentilla aristata is a rosulate species and unique in branching pattern (Figs. 1f & 2). New shoots are produced subterranean rhizomes and become detached from the mother plant (Fig. 2).

Life form is thought to be the result of vegetative and reproductive adaptation to the habitat. The rosette is the most common life form of perennial herb in alpine areas and in various types of grasslands. The Leuconota and Aristata types produce this form. The cushion is one of the characteristic life form of alpine plants and is thought to be an adaptation to severe alpine environments. The Microphylla type produces this form. Rhizomatous and stoloniferous forms are ways by which individuals reproduce vegetatively. The Smithiana, Anserina and Peduncularis types produce this form. In the Peduncularis type, P. peduncularis and P. contigua grow predominantly in alpine grasslands in the Nepal Himalaya by rhizomatous reproduction. Potentilla makaluensis forms a dense mat in alpine marshes through copious rhizomatous reproduction. The representative species of the Anserina type, P. anserina spreads by numerous stolons in relatively arid places in alpine regions. Table 1 shows the life form, branching pattern and branching type of each species in sect. Leptostylae.

2. Stipules of radical leaves (Fig. 3)

Stipules of radical leaves of Potentilla are adnate to the petioles in the lower half and free in the upper half. The free part of the stipule is called the auricle. Auricles of Leptostylae are situated on the adaxial side of the petiole. Three types of auricles are recognized in Leptostylae.

a. Two auricles not connate at base (Fig. 3a).
The stipules of the following species have two auricles without connation at the base: P. josephiana, P. lineata, P. fallens, P. polyphylla, P. microphylla, P. stenophylla, P. aristata, P. turfosa, P. turfosoides, P. contigua, P. cardotiana, P. montisvictoriae, P. smithiana, and P. taronensis. The auricles are triangular with acute tips.

b. Two auricles connate on their inner side (Fig. 3b).
Potentilla festiva, P. tristis, and P. leuconota have two auricles variously connate. Figure 4 shows variation in degree of connation of the two auricles of P. leuconota.

c. Single auricle situated on adaxial side of the petiole (Fig. 3c).
Potentilla makaluensis, P. glabriuscula, P. peduncularis, P. commutata, P. wenchuensis, P. anserina, and P. gombalana have one auricle with an entire margin. These three types of stipules are constant, and no intermediate states have been found.

3. Stipules of cauline leaves (Fig. 5)

In P. turfosoides and P. anserina the auricles of the cauline leaves surround stem and are connate on their inner side (Fig. 5b). In other species, the auricles of the cauline leaves surround the stem and are not connate to each other (Fig. 5a).

4. Inflorescence (Fig. 6)

The inflorescence of Potentilla is single flower or a dichasium. In P. microphylla, P. makaluensis, P. glabriuscula, P. aristata, P. turfosa, P. turfosoides, P. tristis, P. commutata, and P. gombalana the inflorescence is often reduced to a single flower (Fig. 6a). Potentilla leuconota, P. montisvictoriae, and P. wenchuensis have umbel-like inflorescences, which are thought to be derived through a reduction of the peduncle (Fig. 6c). The flowers of P. anserina are solitary and without a bract.

5. Number of stamens (Fig. 7)

The number of stamens is variable between and among species.

When the number of stamens is 20-25 or 30, they are arranged in three whorls (Fig. 7a). All species except P. glabriuscula, P. turfosa, and P. commutata have this type.

Potentilla commutata var. commutata usually has 10 stamens, arranged in a single whorl (Fig. 7b). Additional stamens sometimes emerge from the outer or inner whorl.

Potentilla glabriuscula var. glabriuscula usually has 5, arranged in a single whorl alternate with the petals (Fig. 7c).

The number of stamens differs between varieties in P. turfosa and P. commutata. Potentilla turfosa, var. turfosa has 20 stamens while var. gracilescens has 11-14. In P. commutata, var. commutata has 10-14 stamens while var. polyandra has 20.

B. Chromosome Numbers

In Leptostylae chromosome numbers have been reported for few species except P. anserina and its aggregates. In P. anserina Turesson (1938), Eriandsson (1942), Löve and Love (1956), Pólya (1949), J¢rgensen, S¢rensen and Westergaard (1958), Sokokovskaja and Strelkova (1960), and Rousi (1965) reported 2n=28 (tetraploid), and Roscoe (1927), Eriandsson (1942), Gadella and Kliphuis (1963), and Rousi (1965) reported 2n=42 (hexaploid). The chromosome number of the Himalayan P. anserina, however, has not been reported.

Chromosome numbers of sixteen species in section Leptostylae collected in the Nepal Himalaya were counted. Chromosome numbers of those species are shown in Table 2. The somatic chromosome number of seven species is 14, seven species have 28 and two species have 42. The small size of the chromosomes, 1 to 4µm, makes it difficult to analyze the karyotype.

By assessing the basic chromosome number of Potentilla to be x=7, then 2n=14 is diploid, 2n=28 is tetraploid and 2n=42 is hexaploid. It is clear that a polyploid series exists in Leptostylae. Diploid and tetraploid species are found in series Microphyllae, and diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid species occur in series Lineatae and Pedunculares.

No relationship between ploidy level and altitudinal distribution was found. This observation is similar to the situation in Saxifraga (Wakabayashi & Ohba 1989).

Systematic Treatment

Potentilla L., Sp. Pl. 495 (1753). Seringe in DC., Prodr. 2: 571 (1825). G. Don, Gen. Hist. 2: 549 (1838). Endlicher, Gen. Pl. 1242, n. 6363 (1840). Lehm., Rev. Potentilla. 1 (1856). Hook.f. in Benth. and Hook.f., Gen. Pl. 1: 620 (1865). Focke in Engl. and Prantl, Nat. Pfl.-fam. III, 3: 34 (1891). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 1 (1908). Rydberg in North Amer. Fl. 22: 293 (1908). Hutchinson, Gen. Fl. Pl. 1: 197 (1964). Lectotype species: P. reptans L. (Rydberg 1908).

Section Leptostylae (Th.Wolf) T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 263 (1985).

Potentilla section Gymnocarpae Th.Wolf subsection Leptostylae Th. Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 52 (1908).

Type species: P. anserina L.

Perennial prostrate or rhizomatous herbs. Radical leaves imparipinnate, petiolate, forming a rosette; lateral leaflets gradually reduced in size towards base. Alternating smaller leaflets between leaflets present or not present. Stipules adnate to lower half of petioles; auricles of stipules free or connate.

Peduncles from axils of radical leaves or leaf axils of stolons. Cauline leaves imparipinnate. Stipules triangular to ovate, serrate or entire.

Flowers solitary or in a dichasium, hermaphroditic, actinomorphic. Episepals 5, entire or serrate, with 2 or 3 teeth. Sepals 5, entire. Petals 5, spreading, bright yellow, narrowly oblong to broadly obovate, apex rounded or retuse.

Stamens usually 20, rarely 25-30 or 5-10(-15); in 3-whorls when 20, alternipetalous ones 5, those of inner whorl longer than others; oppositipetalous ones 5, those of middle whorl shortest; those located between petals and sepals 10, in outer whorl; when stamens 10, these located between petals and sepals, equal in length; when stamens 5, these stamens alternipetalous, equal in length. Anthers globose, ellipsoid or ovoid, subbasal, 4 loculed, yellow before dehiscence, dehiscent by longitudinal slits. Pistils crowded on receptacles. Ovaries 1-ovulate, ellipsoid to ovoid, smooth. Styles subterminal, lateral or subbasal, not swollen or swollen at middle. Stigmas inflated and papillate (not inflated and not papillate in P. lineatd). Placenta ventro-lateral near style base.

Key to the subsections, series and species of section Leptostylae

A. Subsection Microphyllae (T.T. Yü et C.L. Li) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, stat, nov.
BASIONYM: Sen Microphyllae T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 18: 5 (1980); in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 271 (1985).

i. Series Lineatae H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, ser. nov.
Foliis cauliferis numero multis quam 4 ornatis.
Type species: Potentilla lineata Trev.

1. Potentilla festiva Soják in Candollea 43: 166 (1988). Miehe, Langtang Himal 445 (1990). Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 35 (1992). Ikeda and Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 166 (1993).

2. Potentilla josephiana H. Ikeda et H. Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 168 (1993).
BASIONYM: P.fulgens Wall ex Hook. var. intermedia Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 350 (1878). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 146 (1908).

SYNONYM: P. lineata Trev. var. intermedia (Hook.f.) Dixit et Panigrahi in Proc. 4th Ann. Conf. Orissa Bot. Soc. 25 (1979). Grierson and Lone, Fl. Bhutan 1: 571 (1987). Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 36 (1992).

3. Potentilla lineata Trev., Ind. Sem. Vratislav. 1822 (1822). Reichenbach, Hort. Bot. Fasc. 1: 7, t. 8 (1824). Sprengel. Syst. 2: 534 (1825). Panigrahi and Dixit in J. Econ. Tax. Bot. 1: 131 (1980). Mabberly in Taxon 33: 443 (1984). Grierson and Long, Fl. Bhutan 1: 571 (1987), excl. var. intermedia. Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 36 (1992). Ikeda and Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 169 (1993).
SYNONYMS: P. splendens Wall. ex D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 230 (1825).
P.fulgens Wall. ex Hook. in Bot. Mag. 53: t. 2700 (1826). Lehm., Rev. Potentilla. 54 (1856). Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 349 (1878), excl. var. intermedia. Franchet, Pl. Delavay. 3: 211 (1890). Duthie, Cat. Pl. Kumaon 56 (1906). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 145 (1908), excl. var. intermedia. Burkill in Bot. Surv. Ind. 4(4): 107 (1910). H. Léveillé, Cat. Pl. Yun-Nan 232 (1917). J. Krause in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 12: 408 (1922). Handel-Mazzetti, Symb. Sin. 7: 510 (1933); in Acta Hort. Gothob. 13: 304 (1939). Fletcher in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 20: 210 (1950). Kitamura in Kihara, Fauna Fl. Nepal Himal. 152 (1955). Banerji in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 19(2): 40 (1966). Murata in Hara, Fl. E. Himal. 123 (1966). Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal, Med. Pl. Nepal 70 (1970). Murata in Hara, Fl. E. Himal. 2: 53 (1971). Subramanyam in Rec. Bot. Surv. Ind. 20(2): 89 (1973). Malla et al. in Bull. Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal 7: 78 (1976). Ohashi in Hara and Williams, Enum. Fl. Pl. Nepal 2: 140 (1979). Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 493 (1984). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 261 (1985). Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 247 (1985). Malla et al. in Bull. Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal 11: 284 (1986). Miehe, Langtang Himal 445 (1990). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 848 (1993).
P. siemersiana Lehm., [Ind. Sem. Hort. Bot. Hamb. 8 (1821), nom. nud.] Pugill. 1: 31 (1828). Bernardi in Candollea 18: 275 (1963). Lauener in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 30: 260 (1970).
P. martini H.Lév. in Bull. Soc. Bot. France. 55: 57 (1908).
P. fulgens Wall. ex Hook. var. macrophylla Card., Lecornte, Not. Syst. 3: 232 (1914). H. Léveillé, Cat. Pl. Yun-Nan 232 (1917). Handel-Mazzetti in Acta Hort. Gothob. 13: 304 (1939). Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 494 (1984).
P. siemersiana Lehm. var. acutiserrata T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 18: 7,t. 1,f.2(1980).
P. fulgens Wall. ex Hook. var. acutiserrata (T.T. Yü et C.L. Li) T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 263, t. 39, f. 3 & t. 4 (1985).

4. Potentilla fallens Card. in Lecomte, Not. Syst. 3: 232 (1914). H. Léveillé, Cat. Pl. Yun-Nan 232 (1917). Handel-Mazzetti, Symb. Sin. 7: 511 (1933). Fletcher in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 20: 210 (1950). Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 493 (1994). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 261 (1985). Ikeda and Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 174 (1993). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 848 (1993).
SYNONYMS: P. rockiana Melch. in Notizb. Bot. Gart. Mus. Beri.-Dahlem 11: 795 (1933). Handel-Mazzetti in Acta Hort. Gothob. 13: 321 (1939).
P. peduncularis D.Don var. obscura auct. non Hook.f.; Diels in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 7: 131 (1912).

5. Potentilla polyphylla Wall. [Cat. 28, n. 1026 (1829), nom. nud.] ex Lehm., Pugill. 3: 13 (1831); Rev. Potentilla. 53 (1856). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 143 (1908). Ohashi in Hara and Williams, Enum. Fl. Pl. Nepal 2: 140 (1979). Panigrahi and Dixit in J. Econ. Tax. Bot. 1: 132 (1980). Polunin and Stainton, Flow. Himal. 125 (1984). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 260 (1985). Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 647 (1985). Grierson and Long, Fl. Bhutan 1: 571 (1987). Miehe, Langtang Himal 445 (1990). Shah and Wilcock in Wildenowia 21: 199 (1991). Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 36 (1992). Ikeda and Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 176 (1993). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 848 (1993).
var. polyphylla
SYNONYMS: P. sordida Klotzsch in Bot. Ergebn. Reise Waldemar. t. 9 (1862).
P. mooniana auct. non Wight; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 349 (1878), pro parte. Kitamura in Kihara, Fauna Fl. Nepal Himal. 152 (1955). Murata in Hara, Fl. E. Himal. 124 (1966). Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal, Fl. Phulchoki Godawari 33 (1969). Malla et al. in Bull. Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal 7: 79 (1976).
var. himalaica H. Ikeda et H. Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 179 (1993).
var. interrupta (T.T. Yü et C.L. Li) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 179(1993).
BASIONYM: P. interrupta T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 18: 8 (1980). Wu et al, Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 495 (1984). Yu and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 267 (1985). Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 35 (1992). Ku in Wang et al.. Vase. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 849 (1993).
var. barbata Lehm., Rev. Potentilla. 54 (1856). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 145 (1908). Ikeda and Ohba in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 112: 182 (1993).
SYNONYM: P. mooniana Wight, Icon, Pl. Ind, Orient. 1: t. 233 (1839). Lehm., Rev. Potentilla. 54 (1856). Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 349 (1878), pro parte. Duthie, Cat. Pl. Kumaon 56 (1906).

A detailed taxonomic treatment of this series was published in Bot, J. Linn. Soc. 112: 159-186 (Ikeda and Ohba 1993b) under the name Potentilla lineata group.
Species of the P. lineata group have been included in sect. Closterostylae. Wolf (1908) included P. lineata (as P.fulgens), P. josephiana (as P. fulgens var. intermedia) and P. polyphylla in Closterostylae. Yü and Li (1985) included P. lineata (as P.fulgens), P. polyphylla and P. fallens in Closterostylae.
Section Closterostylae was characterized by the basal, spindle-shaped styles, and section Leptostylae by the lateral rod-shaped styles (Wolf 1908; Yü and Li 1980,1985). In spite of differences between Closterostylae and Leptostylae, Kalkman (1968) noted the similarity between P. polyphylla and the southeast Asian species of Leptostylae, and wrote: "I do not see sufficient reason to separate them so widely." Soják (1994b) presented a key to the species of Leptostylae (as sect. Pentaphylloides) and included species of the P. lineata group in sect. Leptostylae.
The position and shape of the styles are variable between species and these characters are not reliable for the circumscription of sects. Closterostylae and Leptostylae.
Section Leptostylae is characterized by the nature of the auricles of the stipules of the radical leaves and the mode of elongation of the main stem. Species of sect. Leptostylae (including the P. lineata group) have the auricles of the stipules of the radical leaves located on the adaxial side of the petioles; in other species of sect. Closterostylae they are on the lateral side. In addition, species of sect. Leptostylae (including the P. lineata group) have the main stems always near the ground and aerial stems with terminal flowers elongate from the axils of rosulate leaves. The main stems elongate and terminate in flowers in other species of sect. Closterostylae.
Although Soják (1994a) regarded P. josephlana as identical with P. interrupta (=P. polyphylla var. interrupta), these two taxa can be distinguished by the nature of the uppermost pair of leaflets (decurrent at base in P. josephiana, sessile in P. polyphylla var. interrupta). The two species also have different chromosome numbers (2n=42 in P. josephiana and 2n=28 in P. polyphylla var. interrupta).

ii. Series Microphyllae
6. Potentilla microphylla D. Don, Prodr. Fl. Nepal. 231 (1825). Seringe in DC, Prodr. 2: 583 (1825). Lehm., Pugill. 3: 17 (1831), excl. δ latifolia; Rev. Potentilla. 30 (1856), excl. δ latiloba. Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. 208, t. 41, f. 2 (1835). Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 352 (1878), excl. vars. achilleifolia and commutata. Strachey, Cat. Pl. Kumaon 56 (1906), excl. var. commutata. Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 681 (1908), excl. southeast Asian ones and vars. achilleifolia and latifolia. Marquand in J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 48: 175 (1929). Kitamura in Kihara, Fauna Fl. Nepal Himal. 152 (1955), excl. var. achilleifolia. Handel-Mazzetti in Acta Hort. Gothob. 13: 321 (1939). Bernardi in Candollea 18: 274 (1963), excl. var. achilleifolia. Malla et al. in Bull. Dept. Med. Pl. Nepal 7: 78 (1976). Ohashi in Hara and Williams, Enum. Flow. Pl. Nepal 2: 140 (1979), excl. vars. achilleifolia and commutata. Polunin and Stainton, Flow. Himal. 126 (1984), pro parte. Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 496 (1984), excl. var. multijuga, pro parte. Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 271, t. 41, f. 11 (1985), excl, var. multijuga. Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 649, t. 200, f. 10 (1985), excl. var. multijuga. Grierson and Long, Fl. Bhutan 1: 572 (1987), excl. vars. achilleifolia, latifolia, and latiloba, pro parte. Soják in Candollea 43: t. 1, f. 1-3; t. 2, f. 1 (1988). Miehe, Langtang Himal 445, t. D2. 89 (1990). Ikeda in Ohba and Akiyama, Alp. Fl. Jaljale Himal 36 (1992). Ku in Wang et al., Vase. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 850 (1993), pro parte. Sojak in Bot. Jahrb. Syst.116:31(1994).
Type: Nepal; Gosainthan (Wallich 1010, BM-holotype, not seen).

Radical leaves oblanceolate, 0.5-6.0 cm long, 4-10 mm wide, lateral leaflets 2-10 pairs, without smaller leaflets; petiole 0.5-4.0 cm long; base of uppermost pair of leaflets cuneate. Leaflets strigose or hirsute beneath; terminal leaflet sessile or subsessile, oblong to narrowly obovate, 2.0-4.0 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, serrate, with 3-9 teeth. Auricles of stipules free.
Peduncles 1-10 cm long. Cauline leaves simple, entire or tri-lobed. Auricles of stipules entire or rarely tri-lobed.
Inflorescence 1 or 2(-3) flowered; pedicel 2-12 mm long. Flowers 1.0-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 5-12 mm across. Episepals lanceolate to oblong, 1.5-3.5 mm long, 0.5- 1.0 mm wide, entire or deeply divided into two lobes, apex acute or obtuse, sparsely strigose on both surfaces. Sepals elliptic to ovate, 3.5-4.5 mm Ions, 1.5-3.0 mm wide,entire, apex acute or obtuse, nearly glabrous above, lower surface and margin strigose. Petals oblong to elliptic, apex rounded, 3.0-8.0 mm long, 2.5-6.0 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-2.5 mm long; anthers globose to ellipsoid, 0.4-0.7 mm long, 0.4-0.7 mm wide. Ovaries ellipsoid, 0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 0.5-1.3 mm long, slender; stigmas slightly inflated.

Potentilla microphylla is a small prostrate herb and bears 1 or 2 yellow flowers. Potentilla glabriuscula, P. aristata, and P. commutata and small plants of P. stenophylla and P. turfosa were often determined as P. microphylla. On the other hand, it appears that P. luteopilosa and P. tapetodes, which were described as distinct species, should be included as infraspecific taxa within P. microphylla.

6a. var. microphylla [Figs. 8 & 31; Pls. 10-13]

SYNONYMS: P. microphylla D.Don β (var.) glabriuscula Wall. [Cat. 28, n. 1010β (1829), nom. nud.] ex Lehm., Pugill. 3: 19 (1831); Rev. Potentilla. 30 (1856). Strachey, Cat. Pl. Kumaon 56 (1906). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 682 (1908). Handel-Mazzetti, Symb. Sin. 7: 519: (1933), pro parte. Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 497 (1984), pro parte. Yü and Li in Yü, Fl, Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 274 (1985), pro parte. Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 650 (1985), pro parte.
Types: Nepal; Gosainthan (Wallich 1010β, K-lectotype, designated by Soják in 1989, and isolectotype, BM, E, L, NY-isolectotypes).
P. microphylla D.Don γ (var.) depressa Wall. [Cat. 28, n. 1010γ (1829), nom. nud.] ex Lehm., Pugill. 3: 19 (1831); Rev. Potentilla. 30 (1856). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 682(1908).
Types: Nepal; Gosainthan (Wallich 1010γ, K-lectotype, designated by Soják in 1989, and isolectotype, A, BM, E-isolectotypes).
P.microphylla D.Don var. latiloba auct. non Wall. ex Lehm.; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 353 (1878). Strachey, Cat. Pl. Kumaon 56 (1906). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 682 (1908).
P.microphylla D.Don var. achilleifolia auct. non Hook. f.; Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 497 (1984). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 272 (1985). Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 650 (1985).
P. tapetodes Soják var. decidua Soják in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 116: 34 (1994).

Radical leaves 3-6 cm long, 4-8 mm wide, lateral leaflets 7-9 pairs; petiole 0.5- 1.5 cm long; terminal leaflet 2.0-3.5 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, with 5-9 teeth.
Peduncles 1-4 cm long; pedicel 0.5-4.0 cm long. Flowers 1.0-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 5-8 mm across. Episepals 2.0-2.5 mm long, 0.5-1.0 mm wide. Sepals 3.5-4.0 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Petals 6-8 mm long, 5-6 mm wide.
Stamens 2.0-2.5 mm long; anthers 0.5-0.7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide. Ovaries 0.6-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 1.0-1.3 mm long.
Chromosome number 2n=28.
Distr. NW India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and China (Xizang).

Variety microphylla grows in alpine grasslands, on rocky slopes and on glacier soils and forms cushions. The cushion habit is found also in other species, such as Arenaria, Androsace, Saussurea, etc. and is thought to be an adaptation to severe alpine environments.
The length and number of leaflets vary according to the habitat. Plants in grasslands have long leaves with many leaflets, while plants in glacier soils have short leaves with few leaflets. Wallich's collection no. 1010β bears fairly long leaves with many leaflets and no. 1010γ bears short leaves with few leaflets.

6b. var. luteopilosa (T.T. Yü et C.L. Li) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, stat. et comb. nov. [Fig. 31; Pl. 14]

BASIONYM: Potentilla luteopilosa T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Acta Phytotax. Sin. 18: 9, t. 5, f. 2 (1980). Wu et al., Index. Fl. Yunnan. 1: 496 (1984). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 274, t. 41, f. 8-10 (1985). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 850 (1993). Soj á k in Bot.Jahrb.Syst.116: 35 (1994).
Types: China; Yunnan, Gongshan, 4100 m (T.T. Yü 23238, 4 Oct. 1938, PE-lecto-type, designated here, A, E-isolectotypes). Deqin, alt. 3800-3900 m (Feng 6738, 18 Aug. 1940,PE-syntype).

Radical leaves 1.0-1.8 cm long, 6-10 mm wide, lateral leaflets 7-10 pairs; petiole 2-4 mm long; terminal leaflet 2-4 mm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, with 7-9 teeth.
Peduncles 3-10 mm long. Pedicel 7-12 mm long. Flowers 1-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 6-12 mm across. Episepals 2-3.5 mm long, 0.7-1.0 mm wide. Sepals 3.5-4.5 mm long, 2-3 mm wide.
Distr. China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Xizang).

Variety luteopilosa was first described as a species distinct from P. microphylla based on differences in incision and hairiness of the leaflets (Yü and Li 1980), The leaflets of var. luteopilosa are incised about half way through the lamina and the apex of the leaflets is obtuse. Variety microphylla has the leaflets deeply incised nearly to the main nerve and the apex of the leaflets is acute.

6c. var. tapetodes (Soják) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, stat. et comb. nov. [Figs. 9 & 31; Pl. 15]

BASIONYM: P. tapetodes Soják in . Nár. Muz. Odd. . 152: 160 (1983); in Candollea 43: 161, t. l, f. 4-6; 162, t. 2, f. 3 (1988); in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 116: 32 (1994), excl. var. decidua.
Type: Bhutan; Shinje La, upper Mo Chu, 15500 ft. (Ludlow, Sherriff & Hicks 16425, 5 June 1949, BM-holotype).
SYNONYM: P. microphylla D. Don var. caespitosa T.T. Yü et C.L. Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 274, t. 41, f. 12 (1985). Yü et al. in Wu, Fl. Xizang. 2: 650, t. 200, f. 9 (1985), nom. illeg. (without Latin diagnosis and no indication of type specimen).

Radical leaves 0.5-1.0 cm long, 4-7 mm wide, lateral leaflets 2 or 3(-5) pairs; petiole 2-3 mm long; terminal leaflet 2-4 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide, with 3-5 teeth.
Peduncles 3-5 mm long; pedicel 3-5 mm long. Flowers 1.0-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 5-7 mm across. Episepals 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.7-1.0 mm wide. Sepals 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Petals 3.0-4.0 mm long, 2.6-3.3 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-1.4 mm long; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide. Ovaries 0.5-0.6 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Distr. Sikkim, Bhutan, and China (SE Xizang).

Variety tapetodes has smaller leaves (0.5-1.0 cm long) and fewer leaflets (2 or 3, rarely 5 pairs) than var. microphylla. The stems of var. tapetodes are surrounded by many old leaves that form a tower-like structure. The large cushions of var. tapetodes are formed by the clustering of the stems.
Although P. microphylla var. caespitosa was described in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 274 (Yü and Li 1985), the diagnosis was written in Chinese and no type specimen was indicated. I examined a specimen in PE indicated by Yü and Li as the type of var. caespitosa (Qinghai-Xizang Exped. 5698, a duplicate specimen deposited in KUN) and the specimen is identical with var. tapetodes.

7. Potentilla stenophylla (Franch.) Diels in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 5: 271 (1912). H. Léveillé in Cat. Pl. Yun-Nan 233 (1917). Handel-Mazzetti, Symb. Sin. 7: 518 (1933). Melchior and Stroh in Notizb. Bot. Gart. Mus. Berl.-Dahlem 11: 799 (1933). Fletcher in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 20: 215 (1950), pro parte. Lauener in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 30: 261 (1970). Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 498 (1984), pro parte. Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 270, t. 40, f. 6 (1985), pro parte. Soják in Candollea 43: t. 4, f. 5 (1988). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 849 (1993), Soják in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 116: 47 (1994).
BASIONYM: P. peduncularis D. Don var. stenophylla Franch., Pl. Delavay. 3: 214 (1890). Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 678 (1908).
Type: China; Yunnan, Tsang-shan, Tali [Cang Shan, Dali] (Delavay s.n., P-holotype, not seen).

Radical leaves oblanceolate, 2.5-23 cm long, 0.8-3.5 cm wide, lateral leaflets 5-25 pairs, without smaller leaflets; petiole 1-4 cm long; base of uppermost pair of leaflets cuneate. Leaflets appressed hairy or glabrous beneath except with tuft hairs at tips in var. cristata; terminal leaflet sessile or subsessile, oblong to elliptic, 6-15 mm long, 4-8 mm wide, serrate, with 3-15 teeth. Auricles of stipules free.
Peduncles 3-25 cm long. Cauline leaves simple, serrate, with 3-5 teeth in var. cristata or with 1-5 pairs of leaflets. Auricles of stipules entire or serrate, with 3-5 teeth.
Pedicel 1.5-4.0 cm long. Flowers 1.0-2.0 cm across; hypanthium 6-10 mm across. Episepals lanceolate to elliptic, 1.5-4.0 mm long, 0.7-3.0 mm wide, entire or with 2 or 3 teeth, apex acute or obtuse, sparsely strigose on both surfaces. Sepals elliptic to ovate, 2.0-6.0 mm long, 1.5-4.5 mm wide, entire, apex acute or obtuse, puberulent toward apex above, lower surface and margin strigose. Petals oblong to elliptic, apex rounded, 3.0-7.0 mm long, 2.6-5.5 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-2.0 mm long; anthers globose to ellipsoid, 0.4-1.0 mm long, 0.4-0,9 mm wide. Ovaries ellipsoid, 0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide; styles 0.5-1.3 mm long, slender; stigmas slightly inflated.

Potentilla stenophylla was first described as a variety of P. peduncularis (Franchet 1890). Potentilla stenophylla differs from P. peduncularis by having stipules with two free auricles on the radical leaves; P. peduncularis has one membranaceous auricle.

7a. var. stenophylla [Figs. 10 & 32; Pls. 16 & 17]

SYNONYMS: P. millefolia non Rydb. (1896), H. Lév. in Bull. Acad. Geog. Bot. 24: 281 (1914); as "P. millefolium". Cat. Pl, Yun-Nan 232 (1917).
Types: China; Yunnan, lo-chan, 3400 m (Maire s.n., E-holotype and isotype, Pisotype).
P. stenophylla (Franch.) Diels var. millefolia (H. Lév.) Soják in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 116:48 (1994), as "var. millefolium", nom. invalid.

Radical leaves 7-13 cm long, 1.2-2.0 cm wide, lateral leaflets 15-25 pairs; petiole 1.0-1.5 cm long. Terminal leaflet 6-10 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, dentate or 5-lobed on upper part of leaflets.
Peduncles 7-10 cm long; pedicel 1.5-2.5 cm long. Flowers 1.2-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 6-10 mm across. Episepals 3-5 mm long, 1.5-3.0 mm wide. Sepals 4-6 mm long, 2.5-4.5 mm wide. Petals 5-7 mm long, 4.0-4.5 mm wide.
Stamens 1.5-2.0 mm long; anthers 0.6-1.0 mm long, 0.4-0.9 mm wide. Ovaries 0.6-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide; styles 0.9-1.3 mm long.
Distr. China (Yunnan, Sichuan, and Xizang).

Variety stenophylla is characterized by having leaflets with 3(-5) teeth. Soják (1994a), however, distinguished var. millefolia from var. stenophylla by the number of serra tions (var. millefolia has three while var. stenophylla has two). The number of serrations is variable and it is difficult to distinguish the two varieties.

7b. var. cristata (Fletcher) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, stat, et comb. nov. [Fig. 32; Pl. 18]

BASIONYM: P. cristata Fletcher in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 20: 218 (1950).

Type: Upper Burma; Moku-ji Pass, 12200 ft. (Farrer 1803, 4 Aug. 1920, E-holo-type).

Radical leaves 3.5-5.5 cm long, 1.0-1.5 cm wide, lateral leaflets 5-8 pairs; petiole 0.5-1.0 cm long; terminal leaflet 1.0-1.2 cm long, 5-7 mm wide, with 11-13 teeth.
Peduncles 3-4 cm long; pedicel 1.5-2.0 cm long. Flowers 1.2-1.5 cm across; hypanthium 7-8 mm across. Episepals 2-4 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, with 2-3 teeth. Sepals 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Petals 3-4 mm long, 2.6-3.3 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-1.4 mm long; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide. Ovaries 0.5-0.6 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Distr. N Myanmar and China (Yunnan).

Variety cristata has broader glabrous leaflets with tufts of hairs at the tips of the serrations.

7c. var. taliensis (W.W. Smith) H. Ikeda et H. Ohba, stat. et comb. nov. [Figs. 11 & 32; Pl. 19]

BASIONYM: P. taliensis W.W. Smith in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 7: 199 (1914). YÜ and Li in YÜ, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 270 (1985). Soj á k in Candollea 43: t. 3, f. 11 (1988).
Types: China; Yunnan, Tali Range, 25°40'N, 10000-11000 ft., (G. Forrest 7017, Aug. 1910, E-holotype, K-isotype).

Radical leaves 4-23 cm long, 1.2-3.5 cm wide, lateral leaflets 5-15 pairs; petiole 1-4 cm long; terminal leaflet (0.6-)0.8-1.5 cm long, 4-8 mm wide, with 6-15 teeth.
Peduncles 7-18 cm long; pedicel 1-3 cm long. Flowers 1.2-2.0 cm across; hypanthium 7-10 mm across. Episepals 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.7-1.0 mm wide. Sepals 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Petals 3-4 mm long, 2.6-3.3 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-1.4 mm long; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide. Ovaries 0.5-0.6 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Distr. China (Yunnan).

Variety taliensis has leaflets hairy on both surfaces and with 6-15 serrations, Variety taliensis is restricted to the area around Dali, Yunnan, China.

7d. var. emergens Card. in Lecomte, Not. Syst. 3: 241 (1914). Melchior and Stroh in Notizb. Bot. Gart. Mus. Berl.-Dahlem 11: 800 (1933). [Figs. 12 & 32; Pls. 20-22]

Types: China; Szechuan, Kiala, Kajilatho (Souli é 2548 in 1894, P-lectotype, desig nated here). Szechuan, Tatsienlu [Kangding] (Mussot 110 in 1897, P-syntype). Szechuan, Kiala, Tongolo (Souli é 97, July 1891, P-syntype). Szechuan, Kiala, Tatsienlu (Souli é 893, 10 July 1893, P-syntype). W China, 10000-13000 ft. (Wilson 3461, July 1903, Psyntype).

SYNONYMS: P. microphylla auct. non D. Don; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 352 (1878), pro minor parte. Wu et al.. Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 496 (1984), pro parte.
P. tatsienluensis Th.Wolf, Monogr. Potentilla 680 (1908). Handel-Mazzetti in Acta Hort. Gothob. 13: 323 (1939). Fletcher in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 20: 216 (1950). Wu et al., Index Fl. Yunnan. 1: 499 (1984). Yü and Li in Yü, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 37: 271, t. 40, f. 5 (1985). Yü et al. in Wu, Pl. Xizang. 2: 649 (1985). Soják in Candollea 43: t. 3, f. 5 (1988). Ku in Wang et al., Vasc. Pl. Hengduan Mts. 1: 849 (1993). Soják in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 116: 51 (1994).
Types: China; Sichuan, Tatsienlu [Kangding] (Potanin s.n., July 1893, DR-holotype and isotype).
P. stenophylla (Franch.) Diels var. exaltata Card. in Lecomte, Not. Syst. 3: 241 (1914).
Types: China; Szechuan, Kiala, Tongolo (Souli é 659 in 1893, P-lectotype, designated here). Szechuan, Kiala, Tongolo (Souli é 88, July 1891, P-syntype). Szechuan, Kiala, Tatsienlu (Souli é 539 in 1893, P-syntype).
? P. stenophylla (Franch.) Diels var. compacta J.Krause in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 12:410(1922).
Types: Ost-Tibet [Sichuan] Tatsienlu-Dawo, Aufstieg zum Passe Gila (Limpricht 1671 in 1914, WRSL-lectotype, designated by Soják in 1994, WU-isolectotype, not seen).

Radical leaves 2.5-13 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm wide, lateral leaflets 8-15 pairs; petiole 1.0-2.0 cm long; terminal leaflet 6-10 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, with 4-7 teeth.
Peduncles 4-25 cm long; pedicel 1.5-4.0 cm long. Flowers 1.0-1.8 cm across; hypanthium 6-10 mm across. Episepals 1.5-2.0 mm long, 0.7-1.0 mm wide. Sepals 2.0-2.5 mm long, 1.5-2.0 mm wide. Petals 3-4 mm long, 2.6-3.3 mm wide.
Stamens 1.2-1.4 mm long; anthers 0.4-0.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide. Ovaries 0.5-0.6 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide; styles 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Distr. Sikkim and China (Sichuan and Xizang).

Variety emergens is characterized by leaflets with 5-7 teeth. Variety exaltata has sparse, blunt leaflets but it should be included in var. emergens. Potentilla tatsienluensis is identical with var. emergens.