Geum rivale, the water avens, is a flowering plant in the genus Geum within the family Rosaceae. Other names of the plant are nodding avens, drooping avens, cure-all, water flower and Indian chocolate.[2] It is native to the temperate regions of Europe, Central Asia and parts of North America, where it is known as the purple avens.[3] It grows in bogs and damp meadows,[4] and produces nodding red flowers from May to September.[5]
| Geum rivale | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Geum |
| Species: | G. rivale
|
| Binomial name | |
| Geum rivale | |
Distribution
editGeum rivale is widespread in Europe, particularly in the northern and central parts. It is found throughout the British Isles, the Faroes, Iceland, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, and much of Central Europe[6] (up to elevations of 2400 m in the Alps and 2,100 in the Carpathians).[7] It is absent from the Pannonian Basin and western France; on the Italian Peninsula, it is found in scattered locations in the northern and central Apennines,[6] while on the Iberian Peninsula it is restricted between 1000 m and 2200 m in the Cantabrians, Pyrenees, the Iberian and Central Systems, and the mountains of Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Cazorla in the south.[8] It is found in the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula[6] (in Bulgaria its altitudinal range is 1200–2100 m),[9] the Caucasus, northern Anatolia and north-western Iran. It is also native to northern Ukraine and the central and northern parts of European Russia,[7] Western Siberia up to the Sayan–Angara region in the east, as well as parts of Central Asia (the Dzungaria and the Tarbagatai areas and Tian Shan).[10]
Geum rivale is also native to a broad region in Canada and the United States.[11]
Habitat
editThe plant is a native perennial of slow-draining or wet soils and can tolerate mildly acidic to calcareous conditions in full sun or under partial shade. Habitats include stream sides, pond edges, damp deciduous woodland and hay meadows.[12]
It is a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures is a type of Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in the UK. It occurs on poorly drained neutral and acidic soils of the lowlands and upland fringe. It is found throughout the British Isles with the exception of south-east England, the Western Isles of Scotland and parts of the midlands and the west country.
Ecology
editGeum rivale is pollinated primarily by bees, and less often by flies and beetles. As the flower matures, elongation of the stamens ensures it self-fertilises if not already cross-pollinated. The flowers' stigmas mature before the stamens. It begins flowering a little earlier than G. urbanum, so early pollinations are within the gene-pool of the single species.[13] The seeds of Water Avens are burr-like, and are distributed after being caught in the coats of rabbits and other small mammals,[14] and by rhizomal growth.[12]
Geum rivale is parasitised by Podosphaera aphanis – a conidial powdery mildew.[15] Yellow spots on the living leaf may be caused by Peronospora gei – a downy mildew.[16]
Hybrids
editGeum urbanum hybridises fairly regularly with Geum rivale as they are closely related and occur together.
In North America it is known to hybridise with Geum aleppicum (the hybrid being named Geum × aurantiacum Fries ex Scheutz), with Geum macrophyllum var. perincisum (as Geum × pervale), and with Geum macrophyllum var. macrophyllum (as Geum × pulchrum).[11]
-
Group of plants -
Flowers -
Pseudo-peloric flower -
Fruits
References
edit- ^ Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). "Geum rivale". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T64314072A67729601. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T64314072A67729601.en. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
- ^ A Modern Herbal.
- ^ "Plants Profile for Geum rivale L. (purple avens)". United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2007-04-20.
- ^ "Water Avens (Purple Avens) Geum rivale". Connecticut Botanical Society. 2005-11-13.
- ^ W. Keble Martin (1972). The Concise British Flora in Colour. Book Club Associates. p. 256 pp. ISBN 0-7181-4028-1.
- ^ a b c Kurtto, Arto; Lampinen, Raino; Junikka, Leo (2004). Atlas florae Europaeae, distribution of vascular plants in Europe. 13: Rosaceae (Spiraea to Fragaria, excl. Rubus). Helsinki: Committee for mapping the flora of Europe and Societas Biologica Fennica. p. 143. ISBN 978-951-9108-14-8.
- ^ a b Meusel, Hermann; Jäger, E.; Weinert, E. (1965). Vergleichende Chorologie der zentraleuropäischen Flora. [Band I]. Jena: Fischer. T532, K220.
- ^ Laínz, M. (1998). "Geum L." (PDF). Flora Iberica. Vol. 6. p. 80.
- ^ Asenov, I. (1973). "Omajniče – Geum L.". In Vǎlev, Stoju; Asenov, Ivan (eds.). Flora na Narodna Republika Bǎlgarija (in Bulgarian). Vol. V. Sofia: Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. p. 197.
- ^ Flora SSSR (in Russian). Vol. 10. Moscow/Leningrad: AN SSSR. 1941. pp. 242–3.
- ^ a b "Geum rivale". Flora of North America. eFloras.org. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Wildseeds Website". Archived from the original on 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
- ^ "Biodiversity site". Archived from the original on 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
- ^ "First Nature wildflowers". Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
- ^ Ing, B.( 1990). An Introduction to British Powdery Mildews.
- ^ Ellis, M. B. & J. P. (1997). Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook.
External links
edit
Media related to Geum rivale at Wikimedia Commons- Video and commentary on Geum urbanum and Geum rivale
