Family: Rosaceae
downy agrimony, soft agrimony
[Agrimonia mollis (Torr. & A.Gray) Britton]
Robert Bierman
University of Wisconsin - Madison (WIS-VP)
Etymology: Agrimonia: possibly from Greek argema, an eye-disease, because of supposed medicinal value
Plants: erect, perennial, up to 40" + tall forb; stems stout with dense, short hairs
Leaves: once pinnately-divided into 5-13 large leaflets with smaller leaflets in-between, coarsely toothed, velvety below
Flowers: yellow, 5-parted, stalked; inflorescence a spike-like, interrupted cluster (raceme) on a stalk with dense, short hairs; blooms July-Aug.
Fruits: dry seed with hooked prickles in a bell-shaped cluster
Habitat: partial sun; dry; woods
Conservation Status: Native
Plants: erect, perennial, up to 40" + tall forb; stems stout with dense, short hairs
Leaves: once pinnately-divided into 5-13 large leaflets with smaller leaflets in-between, coarsely toothed, velvety below
Flowers: yellow, 5-parted, stalked; inflorescence a spike-like, interrupted cluster (raceme) on a stalk with dense, short hairs; blooms July-Aug.
Fruits: dry seed with hooked prickles in a bell-shaped cluster
Habitat: partial sun; dry; woods
Conservation Status: Native
Forests of oak, oak-hickory, oak-pine, oak-basswood-walnut, sugar maple-basswood, oak-hackberry, sugar maple-beech; also on lakeshores, in pastures and fields, and marshy areas. Not as common as A. gryposepala but sometimes growing with it. Even when sterile, this species is easily told apart from A. gryposepala by its softly hairy leaf undersides. Found mainly south of the Tension Zone and rather scattered.
- pincipal leaflets 5–7(-9)
- axis of inflorescence not conspicuously glandular, if glands present then sparse and hidden by pubescence
- bristles of floral tube ascending to erect
- grooves of floral tube with a line of hairs
- leaves velvety pubescent below
- stipules of mid-cauline leaves ovate-reniform, coarsely but regularly toothed
Floristic Rating: Coefficient of Conservatism = 5 USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Dan Tenaglia's The Missouri Flora: Fabulous photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leave arrangement key. David G. Smith's "Delaware Wilflowers": Beautiful photographs; descriptions
Robert Bierman
