yellow avens

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• yellow avens
• Aleppo avens
• Eastern Avens

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Geum giganteum
• Geum glabricaule
• Geum heterophyllum
• Geum heterophyllum var. elongatum
• Geum aleppicum f. aurantiacoplenum
• Geum aleppicum subvar. dissectum
• Geum strictum var. bipinnatum
• Geum aleppicum f. glabricaule
• Geum potaninii
• Geum ranunculoides
• Geum rugosum
• Geum sachalinense
• Geum strictum var. decurrens
• Geum strictum var. dissectum
• Geum strictum var. hirsutum
• Geum strictum subsp. intermedium
• Geum strictum var. rugosum
• Geum vidalii
• Geum aleppicum f. plenum
• Geum aleppicum subvar. rugosum
• Geum aleppicum var. strictum
• Geum aleppicum subsp. strictum
• Geum besseri
• Geum besserianum
• Geum decurrens
• Geum gajewskii
• Geum aleppicum var. bipinnatum
• Geum aleppicum var. glabricaule
• Geum aleppicum var. decurrens
• Geum aleppicum subvar. hirsutum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Rosales and the family Rosaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Geum, specifically as the species Geum aleppicum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread presence across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution extends through the territories of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Moving southward, the species can also be found throughout much of Middle Europe. Specifically, it inhabits the mountainous and forested areas of Germany. Furthermore, the plant is documented within the geographical boundaries of the Czechia-Slovakia region.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Geum aleppicum is characterized by its broad adaptability across diverse landscapes and a significant altitudinal distribution. This species thrives in a variety of environments, ranging from dense forests and forest edges to open meadows, mountain slopes, and shrubberies. It is also known to colonize disturbed or human-influenced areas, including roadsides and inhabited places. Its vertical range is extensive, spanning from low-lying elevations of 200 m AMSL to high-altitude mountainous regions reaching a maximum of 3500 m AMSL, with a mean elevational occupancy of approximately 1850 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

200 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, forest edges, inhabited places, meadows, mountains, roadsides, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Geum aleppicum is characterized by its classification as a perennial plant, meaning it maintains its existence and growth over multiple years rather than completing a single reproductive cycle. In terms of its structural development and survival strategy, the species exhibits a chamaephyte life form, where the majority of its photosynthetic organs are located near or just above the soil surface, protected by the substrate or leaf litter during unfavorable environmental conditions. This combination of a long-lived perennial lifecycle and a low-growing chamaephyte growth habit allows the plant to persist in its specific ecological niches through seasonal transitions.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Geum aleppicum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte. In terms of its structural habit, it is a self-supporting plant rather than a climber, liana, or vine. The plant typically exhibits a height ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 1.2 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.7 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.7 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Geum aleppicum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by its foliar dimensions, where leaf length typically averages 6 cm, with a minimum measurement of 4 cm and a maximum reaching up to 26 cm. Concurrently, the leaf width exhibits significant variability, maintaining a mean width of 7.5 cm, ranging from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 10 cm. Regarding its nutrient cycling capabilities, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the availability of nitrogen within the soil medium to support its growth and physiological development.

Leaf length max:

26 cm

Leaf length mean:

6 cm

Leaf length min:

4 cm

Leaf width max:

10 cm

Leaf width mean:

7.5 cm

Leaf width min:

5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Geum aleppicum involves both sexual and asexual processes, with asexual reproduction being present to aid in its establishment. Sexually, the plant features bisexual flowers that facilitate reproduction. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in July. During this time, the flowers, which range in length from 1 cm to a maximum of 1.7 cm, are serviced by a biotic pollination syndrome, specifically utilizing insects as pollinators. Once fertilization occurs, the plant produces seeds with a highly variable mass, ranging from a minimum of 0.0006 g to a maximum of 0.00175 g, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.00121 g. The dispersal of these seeds follows an unspecialized syndrome, indicating that they lack a highly specific mechanism for movement and rely on generalist methods for distribution.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Flower length max:

1.7 cm

Flower length min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Jul

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.00175 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00121 g

Seed mass min:

6e-04 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Geum aleppicum has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Polyphenol, Tannins, ellagic acid, triterpenoids.

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Polyphenol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

ellagic acid

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

triterpenoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Conditions

Geum aleppicum has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis.

Candida glabrata

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Candida tropicalis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)