Flowering and fruiting from June to September.
Potentilla articulata var. articulata is close relative of Potentilla articulata var. latipetiolata, but differs from the latter in its leaflets linear-lanceolate (vs. narrower), base markedly articulate (vs. inconspicuously articulate).
Potentilla articulata is occurring in SE Xizang, S Sichuan, NW Yunnan of China.
Phylogeny of Potentilla and associated genera were inferred from nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences (Eriksson et al., 1998). Most parsimonious tree strongly implies that Potentilla is not monophyletic. Several morphological features appear to have evolved several times independently, including the swollen receptacle and ternate leaves.
Herbs perennial, tufted, pulvinate. Roots stout, terete, woody. Flowering stems 1.5-3 cm tall. Radical leaves: stipules brown, broad, membranous, abaxially sparsely villous, later glabrescent; leaf blade 3-foliolate; leaflets sessile, linear-lanceolate, 0.5-1.5 cm long, ca. 2 mm wide, adaxially densely villous when young, later both surfaces pilose or glabrescent, base markedly articulate, margin entire, slightly revolute, apex acute. Flower solitary, up to 1.5 cm in diameter; pedicel 1.5-2 cm, densely villous, with linear bract. Sepals triangular-ovate, apex acuminate; epicalyx segments elliptic-lanceolate, nearly equaling or slightly longer than sepals, abaxially sparsely villous, apex acute. Petals yellow, obovate, ca. half as long as sepals, apex emarginate. Style subterminal, filiform; stigma hardly dilated. Achenes smooth.
Growing in gravels near snow line; 4200-4800 m.
