Paintbrush

Flowers With Five Separate Petals

Part A

This group of flowers has five separate petals and has flowers that are radially symmetrical. The sepals may be separate or united.

The common name, genus and species, and family are given for each flower.

Ranunculaceae

Buttercup Family

  • In the Buttercup Family, all flower parts are distinct and separate. Stamens are numerous.
  • Black Buttercup has shiny large yellow petals, and it also has long, soft, dark hairs on the sepals. It is found in subalpine and alpine meadows.
ButtercupBlack

Need to check on flower parts? Click on the flower above.

Macauley's or Black Buttercup

Ranunculus macauleyi

Ranunculaceae

Geraniaceae

Geranium Family

  • In the Geranium Family, five styles are united into a long beak. When the seed matures, the style forms a spring and falls to the ground where it digs into earth.
  • Richardson's Geranium has white petals with pink veins. It grows in moist, shaded places.
  • Wild Geranium is tufted and abundant in the Ponderosa pine belt.
GeraniumRichardsons
Geraniumwild

Richardson's Geranium

Geranium richardsonii

Geraniaceae

Wild or James Geranium

Geranium caespitosum

Geraniaceae
RoseWild

Wild Rose

Rosa woodsii

Rosaceae
Strawberry

Wild Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

Rosaceae

Rosaceae

Rose Family

  • The Rose Family has a united calyx and five or a multiple of five stamens.
  • Wild Rose has prickly stems and occurs from the lowlands to the subalpine zone.
  • Wild Strawberry leaves are divided into 3 leaflets. It is found in moist forests and meadows.

Rosaceae Continued

Drymocallis

  • Sticky Potentilla has creamy petals with its flowers in small clusters. It is found in montane meadows and open sagebrush flats.
  • Leafy Potentilla has clustered flowers. Its leaves are divided in up to 13 leaflets. It is found in the foothills.
CinquefoilSticky

Sticky Potentilla

Drymocallis arguta

Rosaceae
CinquefoilLeafy

Leafy Potentilla

Drymocallis fissa

Rosaceae

Rosaceae Continued

Potentilla

  • Potentilla has five heart-shaped separate petals. The sepals are united.
  • Beauty Potentilla has leaves palmately lobed and are white tomentose below.
  • Alpine Avens turns deep red in autumn. It is abundant on rocky tundra.
CinquefoilBeauty AlpineAvens

Beauty Potentilla

Potentilla pulcherrima

Rosaceae

Alpine Avens

Acomastylis rossii

Rosaceae
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