Agrimonia Explained

Agrimonia (from the Greek Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: 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 NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) 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.

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 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.^[3] The Anglo-Saxons boiled agrimony in milk and used it to improve erectile performance.^[4] 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".^[5] It has been added to tea as a spring tonic.^[2] According to the German Federal Commission E (Phytotherapy)-Monograph "Agrimony", published 1990, the internal application area is "mild, nonspecific, acute diarrhea" and "inflammation of oral and pharyngeal mucosa" and the external application "mild, superficial inflammation of the skin".^[6]

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.^[7]

See also

• Aremonia agrimonoides (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 . 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 . 2003 . 10.1086/346163 . 22378156 .

External links

• Web site: Agrimonia L. . Atlas of Living Australia .
• Herb Forum Agrimony Thread

Notes and References

1. Agrimony. 1. 424.
2. Book: Compassionate Herbs. Faber and Faber Limited. C. F. Leyel. 1946 .
3. Galen (Κλαύδιος Γαληνός), De methodo medendi 13.920K DOI: 10.4159/DLCL.galen-method_medicine.2011
4. Lacey, R. and Danziger, D. (1999) In The Year 1000 London: Little, Brown & Co, p. 126
5. Book: Grieve . Margaret . A Modern Herbal . 1931 . Hafner Pub . Agrimony . Hypertext version . 14 December 2021.
6. German Federal Commission E Monographs (Phytotherapy): Monograph Agrimony (Agrimoniae herba). Bundesanzeiger. March 13, 1990. – www.heilpflanzen-welt.de.
7. Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions by Gabrielle Hatfield, p.310