Agrimonia

Agrimonia (from the Greek ἀργεμώνη),[1] commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the family Rosaceae,[1] native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Africa. The species grow to between .5–2 m (1.6–6.6 ft) tall, with interrupted pinnate leaves, and tiny yellow flowers borne on a single (usually unbranched) spike.

For the Swedish band, see Agrimonia (band).

Agrimonia
Agrimonia eupatoria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Tribe: Sanguisorbeae
Subtribe: Agrimoniinae
Genus: Agrimonia
Tourn. ex L.
Species

About 15 species; see text

Agrimonia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including grizzled skipper (recorded on A. eupatoria) and large grizzled skipper.

Species
  • Agrimonia eupatoria – Common agrimony (Europe, Asia, Africa)
  • Agrimonia gryposepala – Common agrimony, tall hairy agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia incisa – Incised agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia coreana – Korean agrimony (eastern Asia)
  • Agrimonia microcarpa – Smallfruit agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia nipponica – Japanese agrimony (eastern Asia)
  • Agrimonia parviflora – Harvestlice agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia pilosa – Hairy agrimony (eastern Europe, Asia)
  • Agrimonia procera – Fragrant agrimony (Europe)
  • Agrimonia pubescens – Soft or downy agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia repens – Short agrimony (southwest Asia)
  • Agrimonia rostellata – Beaked agrimony (North America)
  • Agrimonia striata – Roadside agrimony (North America)

Uses

In the ancient times, it was used for foot baths and tired feet.[2] Agrimony has a long history of medicinal use. The English poet Michael Drayton once hailed it as an "all-heal" and through the ages it was considered a panacea. 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.[3] They also made a solution from the leaves and seeds for healing wounds; this use continued through the Middle Ages and afterward, in a preparation called eau d'arquebusade, or "musket-shot water". It has been added to tea as a spring tonic.[2]

Folklore

Traditional British folklore states that if a sprig of Agrimonia eupatoria was placed under a person's head, they would sleep until it was removed.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Agrimony" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 424.
  2. C. F. Leyel. Compassionate Herbs. Faber and Faber Limited.
  3. Lacey, R. and Danziger, D. (1999) In The Year 1000 London: Little, Brown & Co, p. 126
  4. Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions by Gabrielle Hatfield, p.310
  • Eriksson, Torsten; Hibbs, Malin S.; Yoder, Anne D.; Delwiche, Charles F.; Donoghue, Michael J. (2003). "The Phylogeny of Rosoideae (Rosaceae) Based on Sequences of the Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of Nuclear Ribosomal DNA and the TRNL/F Region of Chloroplast DNA". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 164 (2): 197–211. doi:10.1086/346163.

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