The yellow flowers of this member of the Rose Family (Rosaceae) attracted my attention next to a spring. Then I groaned. It appeared to be a Potentilla, and there are 14 known Potentilla species in this area. 
I started down the key and was amazed when the first entry defined this species. The plants are stoloniferous (having stems that go sideways along the ground) and the flowers are in the axils of the leaves that are on the stolons (the flowers come out of the same spot as the leaves). Lo and behold, something easy to identify! This is silverweed cinquefoil, also called common silverweed or just silverweed (Argentina anserina). Despite the inclusion of "weed" in the common name, it is native to western and northern North America. And if you're wondering what happened to the Potentilla genus name, it was changed to Argentina in the 1990s. Argenta means silver, and fine hairs on the bottomside of the leaves make them look silvery.
This flower looks completely yellow, but under ultraviolet light, it changes to white and red. Check it out here. Some insects have UV vision, so this bull's-eye pattern helps them direct their efforts.For more information on silverweed cinquefoil, click here.
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