agrimony
American Heritage Dictionary:
Top
ag·ri·mo·ny
(ăg'rə-mō'nē) 
n., pl., -nies.
n., pl., -nies.
- Any of various perennial herbaceous plants of the genus Agrimonia, having pinnately compound leaves and spikelike clusters of small yellow flowers.
- Any of several similar or related plants, such as the hemp agrimony.
[Middle English, from Old French aigremoine, from Latin agrimōnia (influenced by Old French aigre, sour), alteration of argemōnia, from Greek argemōnē, poppy, possibly from argos, white.]
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:
Top
agrimony
Any plant of the genus Agrimonia, of the rose family, especially A. eupatoria. This species is a herbaceous, hardy perennial native to Europe but widespread in other northern temperate regions, where it grows in hedge banks and the borders of fields. Its leaves yield a yellow dye. The leaflets are oval with toothed margins; the small, stalkless yellow flowers are borne in a long terminal spike. The fruit is a tiny burr. A. gryposepala, a similar species, is widespread in the U.S.
For more information on agrimony, visit Britannica.com.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
Top
agrimony
agrimony (ăg'rĭmō'nē), any plant of the genus Agrimonia, perennials of the family Rosaceae (rose family) native to north temperate zones, to Brazil, and to Africa. They are found wild in the N and central United States. Agrimony is sometimes cultivated in herb gardens for its small yellow flowers and aromatic leaves, used for an astringent tea. A compound derived from agrimony, agrimophol, is used as an anthelmintic. Agrimony is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Rosales, family Rosaceae.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Agrimonia
| Agrimonia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Agrimonia eupatoria | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Subfamily: | Rosoideae |
| Tribe: | Sanguisorbeae |
| Subtribe: | Agrimoniinae |
| Genus: | Agrimonia Tourn. ex L. |
| Species | |
|
About 15 species; see text |
|
Agrimonia, 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 Africa. The species grow to between 0.5–2 m tall, with interrupted pinnate leaves, and tiny yellow flowers borne on a single (usually unbranched) spike.
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.
|
Contents
|
Species
- Agrimonia eupatoria - Common Agrimony (Europe, Asia, Africa)
- Agrimonia gryposepala - 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)
Medicinal value
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 did seem to be a Panacea. The ancient Greeks used Agrimony to treat eye ailments, and it was made into brews to cure diarrhea and disorders of the gallbladder, liver, and kidneys. Anglo-Saxons 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". Later, agrimony was prescribed for athlete's foot.
In the United States and Canada, and late into the 19th century,the plant was prescribed for many of these illnesses and more: for skin diseases, asthma, coughs, and gynecological complaints, and as a gargling solution for sore throats.
Recent authors identify Agrimony as a topical astringent for wounds, ulcers and sore throats and an astringent, bitter tonic, indicated for gastrointestinal and urinary problems such as indigestion, diarrhea and colitis, urinary tract infections, enuresis and incontinence and kidney and bladder gravel.[1]
Folklore
Although the plant has no idiopathic properties, tradition holds that when placed under a person's head, Agrimony will induce a deep sleep that will last until removed.[citation needed]
See also
- Aremonia agrimonioides (Bastard-agrimony, of the related genus Aremonia)
- Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp-agrimony)
References
- Eriksson, Torsten; Malin S. Hibbs, Anne D. Yoder, Charles F. Delwiche, Michael J. Donoghue (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 Science 164(2):197–211. 2003. (PDF version)
External links
- Agrimonia at the Encyclopedia of Life
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Agrimonia |
 |
The Wikibook Horticulture has a page on the topic of |
 |
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Agrimony. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
Read more
