Geum urbanum L. - Rosaceae - wood avens, cloveroot, herb Bennet, St. Benedict's herb, **Echte Nelkenwurz**, Benediktenkraut

Perennial herb, up to 1m tall, native to Europe, West Asia, Mediterranean, naturalized in Australia and Northern America; basal leaves long petioled, lyrate-pinnate to pinnate, cauline 3-foliolate, or simple and 3-lobed; flowers erect, petals yellow. 

The scientific genus name //Geum// is probably based on the Greek verb //geuein// meaning 'taste' and refers (also like //cloveroot// and the german //Nelkenwurz//) to the clove-like scent of the rhizome (which contains eugenol).

The dried rhizome and roots (Caryophyllatae Rhizoma) are used as astringent, tonic, and antidiarrhoeal. "The rhizome is a traditional remedy to trat mild diarrhoea, dyspepsia and appetite loss. It is used as an astringent (gargle) in case of inflamed mucosa of the mouth and throat, chilblains, haemorrhoids and other skin disorders. It is also considered to be a bitter tonic and stomachic. An additive to liqueurs, brandies, toothpastes and mouthwashes... the active compounds are tannins (up to 30%)." \\
[Medicinal Plants of the World. Ben-Erik Van Wyk and Michael Wink, Pretoria 2004, 157]

{{eugenol.jpg}} eugenol

The main compound of the essential oil from underground parts of G. urbanum was eugenol (69.2%), whereas the essential oil from aerial parts contained mainly (Z)-3-hexenol (38.4%).  \\
[Composition of essential oil from aerial and underground parts of Geum rivale and G. urbanum growing in Poland., Owczarek, A., Gudej, J., Kicel, A., Natural product communications, 8(4), 2013, 505-508]

Some ellagitannins were identified in G.urbanum: Gemin A, pedunculagin, stachyurin, casuarinin, gemin G, and stenophyllanin A. \\
[Secondary metabolites from roots of Geum urbanum L., Piwowarski, J.P., Granica, S., Kosiński, M., Kiss, A.K., Biochemical Systematics and Ecology, 53, 2014, 46-50] 

Total [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellagic_acid|ellagic acid]] content of underground parts of G. urbanum was 32mg/g, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallic_acid|gallic acid]] was at 5mg/g. \\
[Quantitative Determination of Ellagic Acid and Gallic Acid in Geum Rivale L. and G. Urbanum L., Owczarek, A., Olszewska, M.A., Gudej, J., Acta biologica Cracoviensia Series Botanica, 56(2), 2014, 1-5] [[http://www2.ib.uj.edu.pl/abc/pdf/56_2/owczarek%20et%20al.abcbot56%282%292014-final%20printed%20version%20with%20page%20number.pdf]]

{{:geum_urbanum.jpg?500}} \\
Lindman,C.A.M., Bilder ur Nordens Flora, vol.2 t.303 (1922-1926) \\
[[http://plantgenera.org/species.php?id_species=464531]]


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Geum urbanum, [[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/|CC BY-SA 3.0]], author: Andreas Kraska