bristly yarrow

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• bristly yarrow

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Achillea millefolium var. crustata
• Achillea setacea f. ramosa
• Millefolium setaceum
• Achillea capillaris
• Achillea setacea f. dolopica
• Achillea millefolium subsp. crustata
• Achillea fililoba
• Achillea millefolium var. setacea
• Achillea salina
• Achillea kummerleana
• Achillea crustata
• Achillea setacea var. filifolia
• Achillea setacea subsp. dolopica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae and the genus Achillea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is distributed across several regions within Middle Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Austria. Additionally, its presence extends to the territory of Belgium. The species also inhabits the areas of Czechia and Slovakia. Finally, this medicinal plant is documented in both Germany and Hungary.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Achillea setacea is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse array of landscapes, including cropfields, forests, forest edges, meadows, oldfields, and parks. It exhibits a significant adaptive capacity to varying altitudes, occupying an elevational range that spans from a minimum of 540 m AMSL to a maximum of 2400 m AMSL. Throughout its distribution, the species maintains a mean elevation of approximately 1470 m AMSL, reflecting its preference for mid-to-high altitude environments within its various habitat types.

Elevational range max:

2400 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1470 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

540 m AMSL

Habitat :

cropfields,forest,forestedges,meadows,oldfields,parks

Life history

The life history of Achillea setacea is characterized by its existence as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It adopts a hemicryptophyte life form, meaning its perennuating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil during unfavorable conditions. Additionally, this species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage as part of its seasonal cycle.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Achillea setacea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a climber or vine. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism and is not an epiphyte or a parasite. The plant maintains a relatively modest stature, with its height typically ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.7 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.225 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.225 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Achillea setacea is characterized by its specialized metabolic and structural adaptations, most notably its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. In this process, carbon dioxide is fixed directly by the enzyme RuBisCO through the Calvin cycle, a mechanism typical of most temperate herbaceous perennials which allows the plant to thrive in moderate climates. This C3 metabolism dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and stomatal conductance patterns, influencing how it manages gas exchange and transpiration during different diurnal cycles. Beyond its carbon fixation strategy, the plant's physiological framework involves complex secondary metabolic pathways that facilitate the synthesis of bioactive compounds, which are often regulated in response to environmental stressors such as light intensity and soil moisture availability. These physiological processes collectively support the plant's growth, reproductive cycles, and its ability to maintain homeostasis within its specific ecological niche.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Achillea setacea is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering period and specialized mechanisms for pollination and seed dispersal. The plant enters its flowering stage in June and continues through August. Its pollination process is primarily biotic, specifically utilizing an insect-based pollination syndrome to ensure fertilization. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, necessitating cross-pollination through its insect vectors. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces seeds with a mean mass of approximately 0.00017 g. These seeds are distributed via an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, meaning they are adapted to be dispersed by the wind.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.00017 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Achillea setacea has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CD, CHLOROGENIC ACID, PB, SABINENE, alpha-Thujone.

CD

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

PB

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

SABINENE

1. Planta medica

alpha-Thujone

1. Planta medica

beta-Thujone

1. Planta medica

camphor

1. Planta medica

catechins

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Preparations

Achillea setacea has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include AME, aerial parts.

Ame

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Aerial parts

1. Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, Journal of biosciences