Potentilla erecta (L.) Raeusch.

Rootstocks erect to horizontal, irregularly thickened, 1–8 cm. Stems mostly ascending to erect, not flagelliform, openly branched, not rooting at nodes, (0.5–)1–5(–7) dm. Basal leaves ephemeral, usually ternate, 2–15 cm; petiole (1–)3–13 cm, long hairs sparse to common, appressed, 0.5–1 mm, stiff, glands absent; leaflets 3(–5), central ± obovate to cuneate, (0.5–)1–2 × (0.3–)1–1.5 cm, distal 1/2–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/3 to midvein, teeth 2–4 per side, surfaces similar, green (abaxial sometimes paler), glabrate or sparsely to moderately hairy. Cauline leaves (0–)1–3(–7) proximal to 1st flowering node, expanded at anthesis, usually ternate, rarely palmate (or appearing so because of leafletlike stipules), (0.5–)1–3 cm; petiole usually 0 cm; leaflets 3(–5), usually much narrower than those of basal leaves, ?narrowly cuneate to oblanceolate, (0.5–)1–3 × (0.2–)0.5–1 cm, distal 1/3–2/3 of margin incised ± 1/2 to midvein, teeth 2–4(–6) per side?, apex usually obtuse to acute. Inflorescences 3–30-flowered, cymose, open. Pedicels (1–)2–3(–5) cm. Flowers 4(–5)-merous; epicalyx bractlets ovate to narrowly elliptic, 1.5–4 × 0.5–1 mm, much smaller than to sometimes equal to sepals; hypanthium 1.5–2.5 mm diam.; sepals (2–)3–5 mm, apex broadly acute; petals (2–)4–6 × (1.5–)3–6 mm, apex ± retuse; stamens 15–20, filaments 2–3.8 mm, anthers 0.4–0.6 mm; carpels 4–8(–20), styles 0.9–1.4 mm. Achenes 1.2–2 mm, rugose. 2n = 28 (Eurasia).

It is a temperate plant. It grows in grassland, heath and mountain tops. It grows in light acid soil. It is hardy to hardiness zone 5.

The roots are dried and used for tea. The roots are boiled to remove the tannin as a gum and the roots are then eaten. It is also added to Russian vodka. The young shoots are used in salads.

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.