Common Cinquefoil vs gray wolf

Potentilla simplex compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

Common Cinquefoil is Not Evaluated while gray wolf is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Cinquefoil	gray wolf
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rosales (Roses & Allies)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Rosaceae (Rose Family)	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Potentilla	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species	Potentilla simplex	Canis lupus

Conservation Status

Common Cinquefoil

NE — Not Evaluated

gray wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Cinquefoil	gray wolf
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	13 years
Average Length	—	1.6 m
Average Weight	—	45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Cinquefoil

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, France, and United States.

gray wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Cinquefoil

<em>Potentilla simplex</em>, commonly known as the common cinquefoil, is a plant species found in Canada, France, and the United States. It typically occupies diverse terrestrial habitats, often colonizing open woodlands, meadows, roadsides, and disturbed areas in temperate regions of North America and Europe. Common cinquefoil belongs to the genus <em>Potentilla</em> within the family Rosaceae. It is a low-growing, trailing perennial herb that spreads by stolons, producing characteristic five-petaled yellow flowers and palmately compound leaves that are diagnostic of the genus. The species often thrives in well-drained soils with moderate moisture and is a common component of open, semi-shaded plant communities. Biological traits such as average lifespan, plant height, and mass of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species has not yet been formally evaluated by the IUCN, and its global conservation status therefore remains undetermined. Its presence across multiple continents and ability to colonize a range of disturbed and natural habitats suggests resilience and broad ecological tolerance.

gray wolf

The most widely distributed wild canid, gray wolves range from North America across Eurasia in diverse habitats including tundra, forests, and grasslands. Highly social animals living in family packs led by a dominant breeding pair. As keystone predators, wolves regulate prey populations and profoundly shape ecosystem structure, as demonstrated by their reintroduction in Yellowstone. Once heavily persecuted, populations are recovering in many regions.