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| 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.
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)
Traditional medicine
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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. 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.
Medicinal Uses
Agrimonia eupatoria: Historically agrimony was a popular European medicine for treating wounds, sprains, and bruises. In fact, it was part of a formula called Eau de Arquebusade, which took its name from that of the arquebus, a fifteenth-century heavy musket, and was used to treat bruises and sprains (you can still sometimes find this formula in the marketplace today).
Agrimony is known to cleanse and strengthen the liver, help regulate the heartbeat, and lower blood sugar levels. It is used in treatments for asthma, bladder irritation, bronchitis, cancer, coughs, cystitis, diarrhea, dysentery, incontinence, kidney stones, laryngitis, sore throat, and trichomonas. In Chinese medicine agrimony is used to mitigate excessive menstrual flow.
Recent research has shown that agrimony can increase blood coagulation when used as a wash for wounds. It is also useful as a topical wash in treatments for bruises, sore muscles, sprains, hives, and eye ailments. An agrimony poultice can help heal wounds and varicose veins. Gargling with agrimony tea can soothe a sore throat. And as a suppository, agrimony can relieve diarrhea.
As a flower essence, agrimony is helpful for those who appear cheerful but conceal mental anguish be- hind their smile. It helps one find true inner peace and real humor.
Energetic Correspondences
• Flavor: salty, bitter
• Temperature: cool
• Moisture: moist
• Polarity: yin
• Planet: Venus/Jupiter
• Element: earth
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.
See also
- Aremonia agrimonioides (Bastard-agrimony, of the related genus Aremonia)
- Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp-agrimony)
References
- Mars, Brigitte. The desktop guide to herbal medicine: the ultimate multidisciplinary reference to the amazing realm of healing plants, in a quick-study, one-stop guide. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Pub., 2007. Print.
- Mars, Brigitte. The desktop guide to herbal medicine: the ultimate multidisciplinary reference to the amazing realm of healing plants, in a quick-study, one-stop guide. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Pub., 2007. Print.
- Mars, Brigitte. The desktop guide to herbal medicine: the ultimate multidisciplinary reference to the amazing realm of healing plants, in a quick-study, one-stop guide. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Pub., 2007. Print.
- 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)