https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/182269693

I observed this plant today, September 7th, 2023, at approximately 2:30 in the afternoon in the Auke Bay/Valley area of Juneau, Alaska. After taking a stroll with my dog I decided to take some photos of this beautiful, small bush we’ve had in my backyard for years. I have always admired the resilient perennial and the delicate orange colors it presents in the early spring through mid-fall months. There are some similar shrubs throughout my neighborhood that are the same species but their blooms range from white, to yellow, and pink. In the pictures available you can see that I observed the bush’s state of being as alive but it has definitely begun to start the seasonal process of shedding its greenery and petals. You may also be able to tell by the zoomed-out image that it is yet another overcast day in the Southeast region but there was no rainfall. After doing extensive research I have concluded that this bush requires full sun exposure and only grows about two to four feet in height and diameter. Its scientific classification is as follows; it is in the Plantae kingdom, in the Tracheophyta phylum, and in the order of Rosales. Its family is that of the common rose, or Rosaceae, and the subfamily group it belongs to is called Rosoideae. It also resides in the genus of Potentilla which has over 300 distinct species within the category–this specific species, however, is known by a select few names such as Dasiphora fruticosa, Pentaphylloides floribunda, and Potentilla fruticosa.

The nicknames of this orange deciduous plant range drastically across the Northern Hemisphere where they thrive and include, but are not limited to, Mandarin Tango Potentilla, Marmalade Potentilla, Bush or Shrubby Cinquefoil, Orange Whisper Potentilla, Red Ace, Orange Lady, Sunset Potentilla, and Bella Sol Potentilla. Upon further research, I discovered that the Potentilla fruticosa has certain properties that make it inedible for fauna such as deer, porcupines, and rabbits–the United States Department of Agriculture states because members of the Potentilla genus are known to contain high levels of tannins which can be toxic to the kidneys and cause severe gastrointestinal upset if consumed in high quantities, their main job is not to provide a food source but a plentiful pollinator spot for the local ecosystem. However, I also read within the same article that some Indigenous peoples in the Lower 48, like the Okanagan-Colville tribe, used “an infusion of pounded roots as a [topical and oral] tonic for the blood, general aches and pains, diarrhea, gonorrhea, and for washing sores”. Through a more in-depth investigation, I found a book of statewide historical uses of the plant as well; according to the Alaska Center for Conservation Science, though there is no record of Tlingit clans using Potentilla fruticosa, there is evidence to support that both Alutiiq and Athabascan group, who called it the Tundra Rose, used the stems of the plant to make tea that would help alleviate cold/flu symptoms and menstrual-related or stomach pain.

Works Cited
“Potentilla Fruticosa.” Potentilla Fruticosa - Plant Finder, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286391#:~:text=Potentila%20fruticosa%2C%20commonly%20called%20shrubby,Canada%2C%20Europe%20and%20Northern%20Asia.
“Cinquefoil.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/plant/cinquefoil.
Garibaldi, Ann. “Medicinal Flora of the Alaska Natives: A Compilation of Knowledge from Literary Sources of Aleut, Alutiiq, Athabascan, Eyak, Haida, Inupiat, Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Yupik Traditional Healing Methods Using Plants.” Alaska Center for Conservation Science, 25 July 2006, accs.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/Medicinal_Flora_Alaska_Natives.pdf.
“Stories from the Wigwam.” Stories from the Wigwam: August 2020, 31 Aug. 2020, nativeamericanmuseum.blogspot.com/2020/08/.
“Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide: SLENDER CINQUEFOIL.” Slender Cinquefoil, 8 Aug. 2022, www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/wapmcpg14016.pdf.

Publicado el septiembre 8, 2023 05:21 MAÑANA por leximountcastle