Images: ©Jouko Lehmuskallio
Water Avens
Geum rivale
- Family: Rose Family – Rosaceae
- Growin form: Perennial rhizomatous herb. Rhizomem erect, clove-scented.
- Height: 25–50 cm (10–20 in.). Stem hairy, upper part brown-reddish.
- Flower: Regular–bell-shaped, 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in.) wide. Petals 5, yellowish-white to dull pink with darker veins. Calyx-lobes 5, reddish-brown, sharp-pointed, hairy, often more prominent then the corolla. Stamens numerous. Carpels many, free, styles long, jointed, with hooked tip. Nodding flowers in groups of 1–3.
- Leaves: Rosette leaves stalked, blade odd-pinnate with leaflets in 2 to 4 pairs, terminal leaflet deeply 3-lobed, lobes large-toothed. Stem leaves alternate, short-stalked, blade 3-lobed. Stipules small.
- Fruit: An elliptic, hairy, and somewhat curved achene with a hooked apical bristle formed from the style.
- Habitat: Meadows, field margins, ditches, broadleaf woods, rich spruce swamps, springs, eutrophic fens.
- Flowering time: May–July.
The water avens is common in moist meadows, rich swamps, and along ditches. It is often favoured by human activities, such as forest logging. The pendent flowers are pollinated chiefly by bumble-bees, but other insects also visit them. The reddish-brown, in spring slightly clove-flavoured root was formerly used as a herbal medicine.
The water avens may hybridise with herb Bennet (G. urbanum), which has smaller, erect flowers with a yellow corolla. The flowers of G. rivale x urbanum reminds more herb Bennet’s flowers.
