Agrimonia
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Authority
Kline, Genevieve J. & Sørensen, Paul D. 2008. A revision of
(Rosaceae) in North and Central America. -
Family
Rosaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Genus Description - Herbaceous perennials, rhizomatous, the rhizome internodes very short. Roots fibrous, sometimes also with slender fusiform tubers. Stems 1-several, frequently branched in the flowering portion. Leaves alternate, petiolate, stipulate, odd-pinnately compound, each opposite to subopposite pair of major leaflets interspersed with 1-several opposite to subopposite pairs of minor leaflets, the number of minor pairs between each pair of major leaflets usually increasing distally along the rachis. Leaflets toothed or incised along the margin. Inflorescence a raceme, terminal and often also axillary, simple or compound, each axis usually with 9-120 flowers, branched below from the primary peduncle, flexible; bract subtending each pedicel more or less ovate, usually temately divided with acuminate lobes; pedicels ascending; bracteoles 2, usually ternately divided, connate at the base. Flowers 10 mm or less in diameter; hypanthium sulcate, stipitate, the stipe reflexed at maturity, becoming indurate in fruit; the throat occluded by means of an annular disk; bristles in 2-5 circumferential rows from the rim, hooked, erect to divergent to reflexed in fruit; sepals 5, ovate, persistent, connivent in fruit; petals five, elliptical to obovate, yellow; stamens 5-15, persistent; ovaries separate, 2, rarely more, styles exserted. Fruit more or less top-shaped, consisting of the indurate hypanthium enclosing the achene and topped by the connivent sepals with hooked bristles spreading from the rim; achene 1, rarely 2. 2n=28 or 56 (Brittan, 1953; Live & LUve, 1961; Hara & Kurosawa, 1968; Iwatsubo et al., 1993).
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Discussion
Eighteen species with 11 infraspecific taxa and one hybrid species are currently recognized within the genus. Distribution is circumboreal with disjuncts in Argentina (introduced), Brazil, and South Africa.