Agrimonia (from the Greek ἀργεμώνη), commonly known as agrimony, is a genus of 12–15 species of perennial plant herbaceous in the family Rosaceae,[ native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species also in Africa. The species grow to between tall, with interrupted pinnate leaf, and tiny yellow borne on a single (usually unbranched) Inflorescence.
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Agrimonia species are used as food plants by the of some Lepidoptera species including grizzled skipper (recorded on A. eupatoria) and large grizzled skipper.
Species
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Agrimonia eupatoria – Common agrimony (Europe, Asia, Africa)
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Agrimonia gryposepala – Common agrimony, tall hairy agrimony (North America)
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Agrimonia incisa – Incised agrimony (North America)
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Agrimonia coreana – Korean agrimony (eastern Asia)
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Agrimonia microcarpa – Smallfruit agrimony (North America)
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Agrimonia nipponica – Japanese agrimony (eastern Asia)
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Agrimonia parviflora – Harvestlice agrimony (North America)
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Agrimonia pilosa – Hairy agrimony (eastern Europe, Asia)
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Agrimonia procera – Fragrant agrimony (Europe)
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Agrimonia pubescens – Soft or downy agrimony (North America)
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Agrimonia repens – Short agrimony (southwest Asia)
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Agrimonia rostellata – Beaked agrimony (North America)
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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 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.[Galen (Κλαύδιος Γαληνός), De methodo medendi 13.920K. .] The Anglo-Saxons boiled agrimony in milk and used it to improve erectile performance.[Lacey, R. and Danziger, D. (1999) In The Year 1000 London: Little, Brown & Co, p. 126]
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. 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".[German Federal Commission E Monographs (Phytotherapy): Monograph Agrimony ( Agrimoniae herba). Bundesanzeiger. March 13, 1990. – www.heilpflanzen-welt.de.]
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.[ Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions by Gabrielle Hatfield, p.310]
See also
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Aremonia agrimonoides (Bastard-agrimony, of the related genus Aremonia)
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Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp-agrimony)
External links
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Agrimonia L.— Atlas of Living Australia
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target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> "Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria, pilosa, grysopetela and other species)"—Herb Forum