Family |
Rosaceae
Geum urbanum
L.
Geum urbanum L.
(Sp. Pl.: 501; 1753 – Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, Pl. CL nº 3; 1969)
• Life-form & habit: Perennial herb with a short rhizome and erect, sparsely branched stems 20–60 cm tall, softly hairy throughout. Whole plant green to yellowish-green, with spreading simple and glandular hairs.
• Leaves: Basal leaves pinnate, with a large terminal leaflet (2–5 cm) and 2–4 pairs of much smaller lateral leaflets; terminal leaflet orbicular to ovate, crenate or shallowly lobed. Upper cauline leaves smaller, 3-lobed or simple, sessile. Stipules large, foliaceous, ovate, and coarsely toothed.
• Inflorescence & flowers: Loose, few-flowered cyme with solitary, nodding buds becoming erect in flower. Flowers 1–1.5 cm across, bright yellow. Sepals triangular, reflexed at fruiting; petals obovate, shorter than sepals, bright yellow, entire; receptacle hairy. Stamens numerous; carpels many.
• Fruit: Head of numerous achenes, each with a hooked style (3–4 mm) that aids in zoochorous dispersal. Achenes densely pubescent, curved, brown at maturity.
• Phenology: Flowers from April to July; fruits mature from June to August.
• Habitat & elevation: Moist woodlands, shady stream banks, hedgerows, and montane forest edges, from 300 to 1 800 m. Prefers humus-rich, moderately moist, calcareous soils.
• Lebanese distribution: Recorded by Mouterde from Ehden, Barouk, Dahr el-Baïdar, and the northern Mount Lebanon forests; locally common along forest margins and moist ravines in the cedar and fir belts.
• Native to: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Russia, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, South European Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, Uzbekistan (POWO).
• Introduced into: Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Brunswick, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South, Newfoundland, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Québec, Rhode I., Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin (POWO).
• ⚠️ Taxonomic note: Geum urbanum is a widespread Eurasian woodland species, easily recognised by its bright yellow flowers, pinnate basal leaves with a large terminal leaflet, and hooked styles on the fruits. Mouterde noted its presence in the cedar forests of Mount Lebanon and its adaptability to shaded, humid montane habitats. It differs from G. rivale by its smaller, yellow (not nodding red) flowers and erect flowering stems.