Agrimonia gryposepala
Encyclopedia
Agrimonia gryposepala is a small flowering plant of the rose family (Rosaceae
), which is native to North America and was used by various indigenous peoples
to treat medical problems such as diarrhea
and fever.
(non-grassy herbaceous flowering plant) belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae
).
The plant grows 1–5ft (about 30–150cm) high, producing a cluster of small, yellow, 5-parted flowers on a hairy stalk above pinnate leaves. The fruits are hooked dry seeds grouped in a cluster. A spicy scent is released when the stem is crushed. The plant is native to several provinces of Canada
In Canada, it can be found in BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, and QC. and several states of the United States
,In the US, it can be found in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY. and to Chiapas
, Mexico
. It grows in woodlands and forests.
The specific epithet, gryposepala, is derived from the Greek
grypos, meaning curved or hooked, and from sepala, meaning sepal
. The name "grooveburr," which is sometimes applied to the plant, comes from the grooved shape of the seedpod or burr
.
used the plant for medicinal purposes. Among the Iroquois
people, a drink made from the roots of the plant was used as a cure for diarrhea
. Among the Cherokee
, the plant was used for the same purpose, to reduce fever, and for a range of other problems. The Ojibwe used the plant for urinary problems, and the Meskwaki
and Prairie Potawatomi
used it as a styptic for nosebleeds.
These ethnobotanical
uses of the plant have some similarities to the traditional medical uses of A. eupatoria
, which is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...
), which is native to North America and was used by various indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
to treat medical problems such as diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
and fever.
Name and description
Agrimonia gryposepala (also known as Tall hairy agrimony, Common agrimony, Hooked agrimony, or Tall hairy grooveburr) is a perennial forbForb
A forb is a herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid . The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation to grasslands and understory.-Etymology:...
(non-grassy herbaceous flowering plant) belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae
Rosaceae
Rosaceae are a medium-sized family of flowering plants, including about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla , Sorbus , Crataegus , Cotoneaster , and Rubus...
).
The plant grows 1–5ft (about 30–150cm) high, producing a cluster of small, yellow, 5-parted flowers on a hairy stalk above pinnate leaves. The fruits are hooked dry seeds grouped in a cluster. A spicy scent is released when the stem is crushed. The plant is native to several provinces of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
In Canada, it can be found in BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, and QC. and several states of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,In the US, it can be found in AL, AR, AZ, CA, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY. and to Chiapas
Chiapas
Chiapas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas is one of the 31 states that, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 118 municipalities and its capital city is Tuxtla Gutierrez. Other important cites in Chiapas include San Cristóbal de las...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It grows in woodlands and forests.
The specific epithet, gryposepala, is derived from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
grypos, meaning curved or hooked, and from sepala, meaning sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
. The name "grooveburr," which is sometimes applied to the plant, comes from the grooved shape of the seedpod or burr
Burr (fruit)
A bur is a seed or dry fruit in which the seeds bear hooks or teeth which attach themselves to fur or clothing of passing animals or people. The hooks or teeth can be irritants and very hard to get off of clothing, such as wool or cotton...
.
Traditional uses
Across North America, various indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
used the plant for medicinal purposes. Among the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
people, a drink made from the roots of the plant was used as a cure for diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
. Among the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, the plant was used for the same purpose, to reduce fever, and for a range of other problems. The Ojibwe used the plant for urinary problems, and the Meskwaki
Meskwaki
The Meskwaki are a Native American people often known to outsiders as the Fox tribe. They have often been closely linked to the Sauk people. In their own language, the Meskwaki call themselves Meshkwahkihaki, which means "the Red-Earths." Historically their homelands were in the Great Lakes region...
and Prairie Potawatomi
Potawatomi
The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied...
used it as a styptic for nosebleeds.
These ethnobotanical
Ethnobotany
Ethnobotany is the scientific study of the relationships that exist between people and plants....
uses of the plant have some similarities to the traditional medical uses of A. eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria is a species of agrimony that is often referred to as common agrimony, church steeples or sticklewort....
, which is native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.