Flowering and fruiting from June to August.
Potentilla parvifolia var. parvifolia is close relative of Potentilla parvifolia var. hypoleuca, but differs from the latter in its leaflets sericeous on both surfaces, or abaxially glaucous, sometimes sparsely pilose (vs. abaxially white tomentose or sericeous, adaxially sericeous-pubescent).
Potentilla parvifolia is occurring in Gansu, Heilongjiang, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xizang of China, Mongolia, Russia.
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.
Shrubs low, prostrate, or often erect, 0.3-1.5 m tall, much branched. Branchlets gray or grayish brown, canescent pilose or sericeous when young, with peeling bark when old. Stipules brown or paler, membranous, sparsely pilose, margin entire; leaf blade pinnate with 2-3 pairs of leaflets; basal 2 pairs usually palmately arranged or appearing whorled; leaflets small, lanceolate, linear-lanceolate, or obovate-lanceolate, 5-10 mm long, 2-5 mm wide, abaxially sericeous, adaxially sericeous, base cuneate, margin entire, usually strongly revolute, apex usually acuminate, rarely obtuse. Inflorescence terminal, a few-flowered raceme or a solitary flower. Flowers 1-2.5 cm in diameter; pedicel grayish white or sericeous-pilose. Sepals ovate, apex acute; epicalyx segments lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, or obovate-lanceolate, slightly shorter than or equaling sepals, abaxially sericeous or pilose, apex acute or acuminate. Petals yellow, broadly obovate, 1-2 times as long as sepals, apex emarginate or rounded. Style sub-basal, clavate, thin at base, constricted at base of dilated stigma. Achenes hairy.
Growing in forests, forest margins, rock crevices, steppes; 900-5000 m.
