Biology:Achillea

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Short description: Genus of flowering plants

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium.jpg
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Anthemideae
Genus: Achillea
L.
Type species
Achillea millefolium
Synonyms
  • Millefolium Mill.[2]
  • Ptarmica Mill.[3]

Achillea /ækɪˈlə/[4] is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, known colloquially as yarrows. The plants typically have frilly leaves. The common name "yarrow" usually refers to A. millefolium. The genus was named after the Greek mythological character Achilles, whose soldiers were said to have used yarrow to treat their wounds;[5] this is reflected by common names such as allheal and bloodwort. The genus is native primarily to Eurasia and North America.

Description

These plants typically have frilly, hairy, aromatic leaves. The plants show large, flat clusters of small flowers at the top of the stem. The flowers can be white, yellow, orange, pink or red and are generally visited by many insects, and are thus characterised by a generalised pollination system.[6]

Taxonomy

Carl Linnaeus described the genus in 1753.[7][8] The common name "yarrow" is usually applied to Achillea millefolium,[9] but may also be used for other species within the genus.

Selected species

Nearly 1,000 names have been published within the genus Achillea, at or below the level of species. Sources differ widely as to which should be recognized as species, which merit subspecies or variety status, and which ones are merely synonyms of better-established names. For convenience, the Plant List maintained by the Kew Botanic Gardens is followed.[10]


Cultivars

The following cultivars are recipients of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

  • Achillea ageratifolia[11]
  • Achillea 'Coronation Gold'[12]
  • Achillea 'Credo' [13]
  • Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold' [14]
  • Achillea filipendulina 'Gold Plate' [15]
  • Achillea 'Heidi' [16]
  • Achillea 'Hella Glashoff' [17]
  • Achillea 'Lachsschönheit' (Galaxy Series) [18]
  • Achillea × lewisii 'King Edward'[19]
  • Achillea 'Lucky Break' [20]
  • Achillea 'Martina'[21]
  • Achillea millefolium 'Lansdorferglut' [22]
  • Achillea 'Mondpagode'[23]
  • Achillea 'Moonshine' [24]
  • Achillea 'Summerwine'[25]

Etymology

The genus was named after the Greek mythological character Achilles. According to legend, Achilles' soldiers used yarrow to treat their wounds,[26] hence some of its common names such as allheal and bloodwort.

Distribution and habitat

The genus is primarily native to Europe, temperate areas of Asia, and North America.[27][28]

Ecology

Achillea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species.

Uses

Achillea species and cultivars are popular garden plants.

Gallery

References

  1. lectotype designated by Green, Prop. Brit. Bot. 182 (1929)
  2. "Achillea". Index Nominum Genericorum. International Association for Plant Taxonomy. 2006-02-20. http://botany.si.edu/ing/INGsearch.cfm?searchword=Achillea. 
  3. "Ptarmica Mill. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science" (in en). https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30202964-2. 
  4. Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
  5. Coombes, Allen J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names : a quick reference guide to 4000 garden plants (1st ed.). Portland, Or.: Timber Press. pp. 28. ISBN 978-1-60469-196-2. OCLC 741564356. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/741564356. 
  6. Van Der Kooi, C. J.; Pen, I.; Staal, M.; Stavenga, D. G.; Elzenga, J. T. M. (2015). "Competition for pollinators and intra-communal spectral dissimilarity of flowers". Plant Biology 18 (1): 56–62. doi:10.1111/plb.12328. PMID 25754608. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273158762. 
  7. Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 896–897. in Latin
  8. Tropicos, Achillea L.
  9. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. pp. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965. 
  10. The Plant List search for Achillea
  11. "Achillea ageratifolia". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/26193/Achillea-ageratifolia/Details. 
  12. "Achillea 'Coronation Gold'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/95560/Achillea-Coronation-Gold/Details. 
  13. "Achillea 'Credo'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/86956/Achillea-Credo/Details. 
  14. "Achillea filipendulina 'Cloth of Gold'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/52383/Achillea-filipendulina-Cloth-of-Gold/Details. 
  15. "Achillea filipendula 'Gold Plate'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/91601/Achillea-filipendulina-Gold-Plate/Details. 
  16. "Achillea 'Heidi'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/99771/Achillea-Heidi/Details. 
  17. "Achillea 'Hella Glashoff'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/110357/Achillea-Hella-Glashoff/Details. 
  18. "Achillea 'Lachsschönheit' (Galaxy Series)". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/93958/Achillea-Lachsschonheit-(Galaxy-Series)/Details. 
  19. "Achillea × lewisii 'King Edward'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/94981/Achillea-x-lewisii-King-Edward/Details. 
  20. "Achillea 'Lucky Break'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/132717/Achillea-Lucky-Break/Details. 
  21. "Achillea 'Martina'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/60417/Achillea-Martina/Details. 
  22. "Achillea millefolium 'Lansdorferglut'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/44577/Achillea-millefolium-Lansdorferglut/Details. 
  23. "Achillea 'Mondpagode'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/138949/Achillea-Mondpagode/Details. 
  24. "Achillea 'Moonshine'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/92712/Achillea-Moonshine/Details. 
  25. "Achillea 'Summerwine'". RHS. https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/86028/Achillea-Summerwine/Details. 
  26. Jalali, Farnood Shokouhi Sabet; Tajik, Hossein; Hadian, Mojtaba (2010). "Efficacy of topical application of alcoholic extract of yarrow in the healing process of experimental burn wounds in rabbit". Comparative Clinical Pathology 21 (2): 177–181. doi:10.1007/s00580-010-1081-7. 
  27. Flora of North America Achillea Linnaeus
  28. Flora of China Vol. 20-21 Page 759 蓍属 shi shu Achillea Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 896. 1753.

Wikidata ☰ Q146617 entry