CXXVIII— THE COMMON AGRIMONY. 
Agrimonia Eupatoria Linne. 
G razed down by sheep on the common, or adorning the strip of turf by the 
road-side with its spikes of yellow bloom, few plants of the country-side are 
more familiar to every passer-by than the Common Agrimony {Agrimonia Eupatoria 
Linn6). It is the typical species of a well-marked genus ; and, although there are 
several closely-related forms, whether “ sub-species ” or truly distinct, its specific 
characters are not very difficult of definition. The explanation and history of the 
names which the plant has borne are, however, more obscure, as may appear from 
the following passage from John Parkinson’s “ Theatrum Botanicum ” (1640) : — 
“ The first is called in Greeke EuTroTwptot', Eupatorium^ and so the Latines call it also, of Eupator the first finder of it, 
as Pliny saith, who calleth it Eupatoria^ and as it is thought is his Argemonia in arvis nascensy but Dioscorides sheweth that this 
was an errour in his time, in mistaking Argemonidy for Agrimonia. Some also call it Hepatorium quoniam hepati praciput 
medetur : because it is a chiefe helpe to the Liver : it is also called Agrimonia of divers : some other names are also given unto 
it, as Marmorellay Concordia, Lappa inversa, and Ferraria. The Arabians call it Cafal, Cafel, and Gafel: the Italians Agrimonia, 
and so doe the Spaniards .... All the Apothecaries of our Land, especially of London nowadayes, doe use this first kinde of 
Agrimony, as the most assured Eupatorium of Dioscorides : howsoever in former times, both we and they beyond the seas, did 
usually take the Eupatorium Cannabinum, which they called Eupatorium njulgare, for the true kinde." 
In spite of Dioscorides’s protest, the most plausible etymology for the name 
Agrimony would seem to be the Greek ' Apyen-opiq^ Argemone, from dpyepov, argemon, 
cataract in the eye, though it is curious that while the Poppies called Argemone are 
credited with efficacy against this disease in all the herbals, it does not occur among 
a long list of ailments for which Agrimony is recommended. Agrimony was clearly 
one of the numerous remedies the discovery of which was traditionally ascribed to 
Mithradates Eupator, otherwise Mithradates the Great, king of Pontus ; but for 
what disease he recommended it does not appear. The rhizome is astringent and 
yields a yellow dye ; and the green parts of the plant, being aromatic and slightly 
bitter, have some value as a tonic, and as such have often formed an ingredient in 
the various herb teas which are now generally forgotten. 
The genus comprises some ten species, all perennial and herbaceous and natives 
of North Temperate regions. Their leaves are generally, as in our British species, 
interruptedly pinnate, though sometimes ternate : they have stipules adnate to their 
petioles ; and a spike of numerous small yellow flowers. These flowers are perfect 
and pentamerous, but do not apparently produce any honey, although there is a 
ring-like disk lining the receptacular tube. This receptacular tube persists and 
becomes hardened, closing over the carpels, in the fruiting stage, and is surrounded 
with spines externally. The stamens vary in number from flve to twenty ; are 
perigynously inserted with the petals round the ring-shaped disk ; and have small 
anthers and capillary filaments ; and the carpels, one to three in number, each has 
its style terminated in a two-lobed stigma, and contains a pendulous ovule. 
Agrimonia Eupatoria grows from one to three feet in height, and is seldom 
branched, whilst the whole plant above ground is hairy. Its rhizome is short and 
