margaret_eaglecap's Identifications

With five palmately arranged leaflets per leaf and each leaflet often highly dissected, this may be Potentilla glaucophylla var. perdissecta, which has leaves that are bright green and not the usual glaucous blue-green of the widespread varileaf cinquefoil. This site lies along the Bridger ridge above Bridger Gully, Bridger Bowl ski area, Gallatin County, Montana.

Varileaf or blueleaved cinquefoil, AKA Potentilla diversifolia, is a native perennial forb of alpine and subalpine elevations that is distinguished by its glaucous bluegreen leaves and leaflets, the latter of which number five per leaf. Stem leaves are reduced in size and complexity (e.g., more dissected than palmately compound).