Potentilla villosa

This is a coastal plant.[6] It occurs on coastal bluffs and beaches, and in meadows,[5] tundra, and alpine talus.[7]

This is a rhizomatous perennial herb with a tuft of several hairy to woolly stems growing from a thick base covered in previous seasons' dead foliage. The stems are up to 20[7] to 30[5] centimeters tall. The thick, leathery basal leaves are compound, divided into three veiny, toothed leaflets with woolly to silky-haired undersides. There may be a few leaves higher on the stem which are nearly the same size. The inflorescence bears one to five flowers. The flower has a five-lobed calyx and five bractlets at the base. The bowl-shaped corolla has five notched yellow petals each up to 1.2 centimeters long.[5] Each petal is marked with an orange basal spot.[3] There are usually 20 stamens at the center.[5] Flowering occurs in July through September.[7] The fruit is an achene, borne in clusters.[5]