''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), '' Sorbu ...

, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. The species grow to between tall, with interrupted

pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, an ...

leaves, and tiny yellow

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s borne on a single (usually unbranched)

spike Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Books * ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave * ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick * ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...

. ''Agrimonia'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species including

grizzled skipper ''Pyrgus'' is a genus in the skippers butterfly family, Hesperiidae, known as the grizzled skippers. The name "checkered" or "chequered skipper" may also be applied to some species, but also refers to species in the genera ''Burnsius'' and '' ...

(recorded on ''A. eupatoria'') and

large grizzled skipper The Large Grizzled skipper (''Pyrgus alveus'') is a species of skipper butterfly (family Hesperiidae). Description This is a rather variable species with a wingspan of 22–32 mm (not always particularly "large") with several subspecies having b ...

Species

*''

Agrimonia eupatoria ''Agrimonia eupatoria'' is a species of agrimony that is often referred to as common agrimony, church steeples or sticklewort. The whole plant is dark green with numerous soft hairs. The soft hairs aid in the plant's seed pods sticking to any ...

'' – Common agrimony (Europe, Asia, Africa) *''

Agrimonia gryposepala ''Agrimonia gryposepala'' (commonly known as tall hairy agrimony,Agrimonia incisa ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Af ...

'' – Incised agrimony (North America) *''

Agrimonia coreana ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Af ...

'' – Korean agrimony (eastern Asia) *''

Agrimonia microcarpa ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Af ...

'' – Smallfruit agrimony (North America) *''

Agrimonia nipponica ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Af ...

'' – Japanese agrimony (eastern Asia) *''

Agrimonia parviflora ''Agrimonia parviflora'' is a species of perennial herbaceous flowering plant. Small-flowered agrimony, harvestlice agrimony, swamp agrimony, and harvestlice are its most common names in the United States. This plant species is part of the Rosa ...

'' – Harvestlice agrimony (North America) *''

Agrimonia pilosa ''Agrimonia pilosa'' (Hangul: 짚신나물), also known as hairy agrimony, is a flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. It is distributed primarily over the Korean Peninsula, Japan, China, Siberia, and Eastern Europe. Description ''Agrimoni ...

'' – Hairy agrimony (eastern Europe, Asia) *''

Agrimonia procera ''Agrimonia procera'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is native to Europe and Southern Africa. Description A herbaceous perennial plant which grows to about 1 m tall, with a branched or unbranched green stem ...

'' – Fragrant agrimony (Europe) *''

Agrimonia pubescens ''Agrimonia pubescens'', the soft agrimony or downy agrimony, is a flowering plant in the genus ''Agrimonia'', a member of the rose family. It grows in dry areas and woodlands. Taxonomy The species was first described by John Torrey and Asa Gray ...

'' – Soft or downy agrimony (North America) *''

Agrimonia repens ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial plant, perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one sp ...

'' – Short agrimony (southwest Asia) *''

Agrimonia rostellata ''Agrimonia'' (from the Greek ), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae, native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Af ...

'' – Beaked agrimony (North America) *'' Agrimonia striata'' – Roadside agrimony (North America)

Uses

In ancient times, it was used for foot baths and tired feet. Agrimony has a long history of medicinal use. The English poet

Michael Drayton Michael Drayton (1563 – 23 December 1631) was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. He died on 23 December 1631 in London. Early life Drayton was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost noth ...

once hailed it as an "all-heal" and through the ages it was considered a

panacea In Greek mythology, Panacea (Greek ''Πανάκεια'', Panakeia), a goddess of universal remedy, was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her four sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: * Panacea (the goddess of universa ...

. The ancient Greeks used agrimony to treat eye ailments, and it was made into brews for diarrhea and disorders of the gallbladder, liver, and kidneys. The Anglo-Saxons boiled agrimony in milk and used it to improve erectile performance. They also made a solution from the leaves and seeds for healing wounds; this use continued through the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

and afterward, in a preparation called ''eau d'arquebusade'', or "musket-shot water". It has been added to tea as a spring tonic.

Folklore

Traditional British folklore states that if a sprig of ''

'' was placed under a person's head, they would sleep until it was removed.''Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions'' by Gabrielle Hatfield, p.310

References

External links

*
Herb Forum Agrimony Thread
{{Taxonbar, from=Q264427 Medicinal plants Agrimoniinae Rosaceae genera Taxa named by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort

Species

Uses

Folklore

See also

References

External links