common agrimony

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• European agrimony
• European grooveburr
• church-steeples
• medicinal agrimony
• Agrimony

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Further taxonomic division places it in the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Rosaless, within the family Rosaecae. It is specifically identified under the genus Agrimonia, known by its species name eupatoria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark. Furthermore, its presence extends to the northern territories of Finland. The species is also documented within the borders of Great Britain. Finally, its range includes the islands of Ireland and the coastal areas of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Agrimonia eupatoria is characterized by its presence in diverse open and semi-open environments, commonly thriving in thinned-out forests, forest edges, meadows, and pastures. It is frequently encountered in disturbed or transitional landscapes, such as roadsides, the edges of fields, and alongside fences. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1700 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range of approximately 900 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

900 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

thinned-out forests, forest edges, meadows, pastures, roadsides, edges of fields, alongside fences

Life history

The life history of Agrimonia eupatoria is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil during unfavorable periods. This species exhibits a deciduous nature, shedding its foliage annually as it transitions through its seasonal cycles.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Agrimonia eupatoria is characterized by a non-woody, herbaceous growth form, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains an independent existence as a non-parasitic organism. It is a terrestrial plant, rather than an aquatic or epiphytic one. In terms of stature, it exhibits a variable height, typically reaching a mean height of approximately 0.333 m, with individual plants ranging from a minimum of 0.3 m to a maximum of 1.5 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.333 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Agriemonia eupatoria is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy. Its foliage displays a narrow-elliptic form with significant morphological variability, featuring leaf lengths that range from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 20 cm, with a mean length of 4.5 cm. The leaf width varies from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 4 cm, resulting in a mean width of 2.75 cm and an average leaf size of 84.61 cm². Furthermore, the plant exhibits a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 184.5 cm²/g, reflecting its structural leaf density and resource allocation patterns.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

narrow-elliptic

Leaf length max:

20 cm

Leaf length mean:

4.5 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf size mean:

84.61 cm²

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.75 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

184.5 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Agrimonia eupatoria is driven by sexual processes, as the plant is bisexual and does not utilize asexual reproduction. The flowering period typically begins in June and extends through September, characterized by the production of yellow flowers arranged in a raceme inflorescence that can reach significant lengths, ranging from 10 to 40 meters. These individual flowers vary in size, with lengths ranging from 0.4 cm to 1.3 cm. The pollination strategy is biotic, specifically involving insects such as bees. Self-fertilization is absent, ensuring genetic diversity through cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces indehiscent fruits known as achenes, which measure between 0.5 cm and 1 cm in length. Each fruit contains a variable number of seeds, typically ranging from 11 to 100, with individual seed masses spanning from a minimum of 0.001654 g to a maximum of 0.03 g, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.0142465 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows a zoochorous syndrome, specifically categorized as epizoochorous, meaning the seeds are dispersed by clinging to animals.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

1.3 cm

Flower length min:

0.4 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

1 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Inflorescence :

raceme

Inflorescence length max:

40 m

Inflorescence length min:

10 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.03 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0142465 g

Seed mass min:

0.001654 g

Seeds_per_fruit :

11-100

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Agrimonia eupatoria has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

Leaf

1. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

Chemicals

Agrimonia eupatoria has 78 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Agrimoniin, Agrimonolide, Flavonoids, Tannins, apigenin.

Agrimoniin

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Agrimonolide

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

Flavonoids

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

apigenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

luteolin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

p-coumaric acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Afzelin

1. Dr. Duke

Agrimol A

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Agrimonia eupatoria has 445 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Antigenotoxic, Antimicrobial, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. RSC advances
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antigenotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. RSC advances

Antimicrobial

1. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Agrimonia eupatoria has 14 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include polydipsia, biofilms, chronic infections, diabetes mellitus, hyperphagia.

Polydipsia

1. The British journal of nutrition
2. Diabetologia

Biofilms

1. International journal of microbiology

Chronic infections

1. International journal of microbiology

Diabetes mellitus

1. Diabetologia

Hyperphagia

1. The British journal of nutrition

Inflammation

1. BioFactors (Oxford, England)

Leg ulcers

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Obesity

1. Turkish journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Oxidative dna damage

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Oxidative stress

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Preparations

Agrimonia eupatoria has 10 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include acetone extract, Plant extracts, acetone extracts, aqueous extracts, aqueous solutions of ethanolic tinctures.

Acetone extract

1. RSC advances
2. International journal of microbiology

Plant extracts

1. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

Acetone extracts

1. RSC advances

Aqueous extracts

1. RSC advances

Aqueous solutions of ethanolic tinctures

1. Biology

Crude extracts

1. Journal of applied microbiology

Ethanol extract

1. International journal of microbiology

Ethanol extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethyl acetate extract

1. International journal of microbiology

Water extract

1. RSC advances