Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in northern Washington; Alaska to Washington, east to the southern Rocky Mountains to Colorado, further east to eastern North America.
Habitat: Arctic tundra and gravel bars to alpine slopes and meadows.
Flowers: June August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)
Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, moths, wasps
Grayish-woolly perennial from a branched crown and short rhizomes, the stems 3-15 cm. tall.
Leaves basal, ternate, the leaflets oblong-obovate to oval, with 7-11 teeth halfway to the mid-vein.
Inflorescence from contracted and 1- to 2-flowered to open and 3- to 9 flowered, bracteate; calyx silky, saucer-shaped, 8-12 mm. broad, the 5 lobes lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, alternating with smaller, linear bracteoles; petals 5, yellow, obcordate, 1-2 mm. longer than the sepals; stamens 20; pistils numerous, style sub-terminal.
Achene 1-1.5 mm. long, nearly smooth.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Potentilla nivea in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Potentilla nivea checklist entry
OregonFlora: Potentilla nivea information
E-Flora BC: Potentilla nivea atlas page
CalPhotos: Potentilla nivea photos