Potentilla sanczirii (Rosaceae), a new species from high Mountain range in Western Mongolia

The genus Potentilla L. is one of the genus with controversial taxonomic position in family Rosaceae, and show a rich species diversity, adapting in mountains hills, high-altitude mountains and arid communities in Palearctic region. Potentilla sanczirii is described and illustrated as new species from Western Mongolian high mountain range. We used conventional morphometric and molecular phylogeny methods to describe new species. With this new contribution, we added a species to the genus Potentilla. L, which makes it with 79 elements in Mongolia. It is morphologically similar to P. nivea, such as, basal leaves ternate, Lower leaflet surface covered with whitish or grayish tomentose. However, differs in multiple caudex covered with dark-brown remains of decayed stipules, and the upper surface of its leaves is adorned with long, silky hairs (light grey). This species' mature nuts (achenes) are light green, approximately 1.0 mm long, and have a smooth surface. A Bayesian Inference tree was reconstructed to further understand the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, and a time-calibrated phylogenetic tree of the subtribe Potentillinae, including 15 species of Pot entilla from Mongolia. The time- calibrated phylogenetic tree suggests that the newly discovered P. sanczirii originated approximately 6.50 million years ago during the late Miocene.