Geum urbanum, Geum rivale subsp. urbanum, Wood Aven, Bennet's-Root,
Hebrew: גיאון היערות, Arabic:حشيشة المبارك المدينية

Scientific name:  Geum urbanum L.
Synonym name:  Geum rivale subsp. urbanum Á. Löve & D. Löve
Common name:  Wood Avens, Bennet's Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet
Hebrew name:  גיאון היערות
Arabic name:  حشيشة المبارك المدينية
Family:  Rosaceae, Rose family, משפחת הורדיים או ורדניים

Geum urbanum, Geum rivale subsp. urbanum, Wood Aven, Bennet's-Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet, גיאון היערות, حشيشة المبارك

Life form:  Perennial
Spinescence:  Non-spinescence
Succulence:  Non-succulent
Stems:  Height 30-70cm,upright
Leaves:  Basal rosette, alternate, stalked, stipulate; stem leaves’ blade palmate, with 3 leaflets or 3-lobed
Inflorescence:  Sparse corymb, flowers erect, 3–18-flowered
Flowers:  Corolla regular (actinomorphic), pale yellow, approx. 10–15 mm broad; petals 5, elliptic, 4–7 mm long; Calyx 5-lobed, with epicalyx; Stamens many; Gynoecium separate, pistils several
Fruits:  Achene with hooked hairs; each flower gets about 70 fruits
Flowering Period:  June-August
Habitat:  Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:  Mt.Hermon
Chorotype:  Mediterranean + Euro-Siberian
Summer shedding:  Ephemeral

Geum urbanum, Geum rivale subsp. urbanum, Wood Aven, Bennet's-Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet, גיאון היערות, حشيشة المبارك


Derivation of the botanical name:
Geum, from the Greek geno, "to yield an agreeable fragrance". When freshly dug, the root has a clove-like aroma. It was called "the Blessed Herb" in earlier times and the common name "Herb Bennet" is a possible corruption of that.
urbanum 'of a city' (urban!), and this is a very common 'weed' of cities, towns and villages.
  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.

Geum urbanum, Geum rivale subsp. urbanum, Wood Aven, Bennet's-Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet, גיאון היערות, حشيشة المبارك


Geum urbanum, Geum rivale subsp. urbanum, Wood Aven, Bennet's-Root, Old man's whiskers, Herb bennet, גיאון היערות, حشيشة المبارك

*Pictures taken in Ragunda, Sweden (see: www.flowersinsweden.com/Geumurbanum_page.htm).