Comarum palustre (Marsh Cinquefoil)

Plant Info
Also known as: Purple Marshlocks, Purple Cinquefoil
Genus:Comarum
Family:Rosaceae (Rose)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:part shade, sun; semi-aquatic; mucky or peaty soil; marshes, wet ditches, lake and river shallows
Bloom season:June - August
Plant height:12 to 24 inches
Wetland Indicator Status:none
MN county distribution (click map to enlarge):Minnesota county distribution map
National distribution (click map to enlarge):National distribution map

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Detailed Information

Flower: Flower shape: 5-petals Flower shape: 7+petals Cluster type: panicle

[photo of flowers] Open clusters of 1 to 3 flowers on 1-inch stalks at the tips of branching stems. Flowers are ¾ to 1 inch across, deep reddish purple with 5 to 8 lance oval petals alternating between narrowly triangular (or swollen in the middle) sepals twice or more as long as the petals. Sepals are also maroon, densely hairy on the upper half and sharply pointed at the tip. The flower center is dark purple, surrounded by many purple stamens with yellow pollen edging the tips (anthers).

Leaves and stems: Leaf attachment: alternate Leaf type: compound

[photo of lower leaves] Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 5 to 7 oblong to elliptic leaflets. Leaflets are 1 to 3 inches long, rounded tip at the tip, rounded to slightly tapered at the base, sharply toothed around the edges, the upper surface smooth, the underside waxy, stalks variously hairy. Lower leaves are long stalked (but all leaflets are stalkless), the lower half of the stalk with long, wing-like leafy appendages (stipules) that sheathe the stem.

[photo of upper stipules] Leaf stalks shorten and stipules broaden as leaves ascend the stem, becoming short stalked with 3 leaflets in the flower clusters and the stipules nearly free. Stems sprawl, submerged and ascending in water, coarsely branched, the lower stem somewhat woody, smooth and reddish brown, but green with fine spreading hairs just below and in the flower clusters.

Notes:

Marsh Cinquefoil, formerly known as Potentilla palustris, deviates from most other Potentillas not only in its deep maroon colored flowers but also in having more than just five petals, typically 6-8. And while many of the yellow flowered species require moist habitats, this species appears to require persistently watery habitats and is completely at home in free standing water, its stems submerged with aquatic roots and just the upper stems ascending above the water line. While its northern latitude range implies a preference for cooler temperatures, it's not overly fussy and is common along marshy road ditches and drainage channels throughout much of Minnesota, especially the northern part of the state.

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More photos

Photos by K. Chayka taken at Red Lake Peatland SNA, Beltrami County, and in Lake and Ramsey counties. Photos by Peter M. Dziuk taken in Aitkin and Lake counties.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Anthony - Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
on: 2015-07-03 22:50:43

In a poor fen

Posted by: Jutta - Lake Bemidji State Park
on: 2015-07-07 07:03:53

Saw in the Bog walk.

Posted by: Charlene - St. Louis County
on: 2015-07-12 13:07:33

Roadside ditch along Boulder Lake Road .. also wild iris and wild calla (arum) in same location.

Posted by: Peg - stream feeding into Vermilion River-on a beaver dam
on: 2016-07-14 10:25:03

Fully in bloom July 5, 2016

Posted by: Jean - 15 miles N of Bemidji
on: 2016-07-29 16:58:18

This lovely blooming lady showed up in one of my sunny, dry gardens. Hope to harvest some seeds for more plants next summer.

Posted by: Terry S - Minneapolis
on: 2017-05-08 09:50:44

I'm sure you know that this is now recognized as Comarum palustre ... FNA and most other sources. I'd be surprised if Minnesota hasn't caught up on this. Interestingly, the first time I saw this species, in the Boundary Waters, I had the hardest time keying it out because the specimen I had collected had 6 petals uniformly! Terry

Posted by: Laurie O - Irving and John Anderson Park
on: 2017-06-14 07:51:44

Saw this beauty blooming while I was out on the lake for a paddle. Had never seen it before!

Posted by: Gary - Carlton County
on: 2018-11-23 22:12:09

The flowers are pleasantly fragrant although one book I read on Minnesota wildflowers claims they smell of rotting meat.

Posted by: Dagmar Christensen - Boardwalk by the Harriet Alexander Nature Center
on: 2019-06-21 16:17:11

Saw this lovely flower bloom right next to the boardwalk

Posted by: Dave - SE corner Pope County
on: 2020-06-16 20:30:43

Growing on the north side of the gravel road aprox 1/4 mile east of the entrance leading to Little Jo state WMA and Moe Woods. Wet sandy/gravel habitat but not submerged (although just a few feet from standing water/marsh). Easily photographed from the edge of the road. Eye-catching color on this unique little flower. Multiple plants just starting to bloom on 6/16.

Posted by: Brett - Sherburne County
on: 2020-09-26 19:02:35

In a wetland displaying guttation today.

Posted by: Mollie Wipf - Cook, MN
on: 2021-07-13 12:47:58

Found in a muddy bay on Lake Vermilion (Niles Bay) on July 12th 2021.

Posted by: John Lawrey - Bay Lake
on: 2022-07-17 02:08:12

Many blooming with Iris. Seen the week of July 4th while paddling.

Posted by: Nelson Anderson - Pine County Lake 12
on: 2023-06-20 08:02:37

Moved the dock 5' and this plat was seen growing June 19 about 12" tall in 6" water

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