Alchemilla

Alchemilla is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Rosaceae, with the common name lady's mantle applied generically as well as specifically to Alchemilla mollis when referred to as a garden plant. The plant used as a herbal tea or for medicinal usage such as gynaecological disorders is Alchemilla xanthochlora or in Middle Europe the so-called common lady's mantle Alchemilla vulgaris. There are about 300 species, the majority native to cool temperate and subarctic regions of Europe and Asia, with a few species native to the mountains of Africa and the Americas.

Alchemilla
Alchemilla vulgaris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Tribe: Potentilleae
Subtribe: Fragariinae
Genus: Alchemilla
L.
Type species
A. vulgaris
Species

See text

Synonyms

Alchimilla P. Miller, 1754
Lachemilla (Focke) Rydb.
Zygalchemilla Rydb.
Sources: ITIS,[1] GRIN,[2] AFPD,[3] FOC[4]

Illustration of Alchemilla vulgaris from 1917 to 1926

Most species of Alchemilla are clump-forming or mounded perennials with basal leaves arising from woody rhizomes. Some species have leaves with lobes that radiate from a common point and others have divided leaves—both are typically fan-shaped with small teeth at the tips. The long-stalked, gray-green to green leaves are often covered with soft hairs, and show a high degree of water-resistance (see Lotus effect). Green to bright chartreuse flowers are small, have no petals and appear in clusters above the foliage in late spring and summer.[5]

Selected species

References
  1. "Alchemilla L." Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
  2. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) (2008-03-03). "Genus: Alchemilla L." Taxonomy for Plants. USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program, National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
  3. "Alchemilla L." African Plants Database. Natural History Museum of Geneva, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
  4. "46. ALCHEMILLA Linnaeus". Flora of China. efloras. 9: 388.
  5. Hawke, Richard G. "An Evaluation Study of Alchemilla" (PDF). Plant Evaluation Notes. Chicago Botanic Garden. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
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