Potentilla argentea L. Ukrainian name – perstach sr1blasty, popular names – derevyanka, dewdrop, chervishnik, zhovtya, etc.
Rosaceae family – Rosaceae.
The herb is used for medicinal purposes.
It occurs almost throughout Ukraine, but much more often in the west. It grows on the slopes of gullies and river valleys, dry forest edges and clearings, roadsides, dry pastures, sometimes as a weed. Forms small sparse thickets and groups, especially in the forest-steppe regions (Volyn, Lvov, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Kyiv, Khmelnytsky, Vinnitsa, Kirovohrad regions).
Stocks of raw materials are quite large. Dozens of centners of grass can be harvested annually.
Silver cinquefoil is a perennial herbaceous plant. The root is taproot, in the upper part covered with the remains of leaves. The stems are arcuately curved in the lower part, 10-30 cm high, covered, like leaf petioles and peduncles, with white or gray felt pubescence with an admixture of simple hairs. Basal and lower stem leaves are long-petioled, with 6-7 leaflets, middle and upper ones with 3-5 leaflets. Leaflets obovate, with a narrow-linear base, with 2-5 teeth at the apex on each side, green above, white-tomentose below. The stipules of the basal leaves are membranous, brown, the stem ones are herbaceous. The flowers are bright yellow, on long stalks. The fruits are small, finely wrinkled. Blossoms in June-July, fruits ripen in July-August.
In the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine, a closely related species is mainly found – Potentilla non-shining, which will probably be used in the future.
Grass is harvested in the flowering phase, cutting the plants with a knife or sickle without coarse root parts.
Dry in attics under an iron roof or under sheds with good ventilation, spreading a layer of 7-10 cm on paper or cloth. The yield of dry raw material has not been established.
According to FS 42 No. 15-72, the raw material consists of stems with leaves, flowers and unripe fruits. The leaves are bare, shiny, grayish-green above, almost white-tomentose below, wrapped around the edges. Corollas golden or brownish-yellow. There is no smell. The taste is a little tart. Humidity is not higher than 13%. In the raw materials, no more than 5% of yellowed and browned parts, 5% of crushed parts (passing through a sieve with a hole diameter of 2 mm) and 1% of organic and mineral impurities are allowed.
Dry grass is packed in 20 kg bags or 50 kg bales. Store in dry, well-ventilated areas on pallets or racks. Storage period 3 years.
The grass contains, like other types of cinquefoil, tannins. Included in the collection of Zdrenko’s potion.