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Garden Lady's-mantle (Alchemilla mollis)

Description

Alchemilla mollis, the garden lady's-mantle or lady's-mantle, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to southern Europe and grown throughout the world as an ornamental garden plant. It grows 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) tall, with leaves that are palmately veined, with a scalloped and serrated margin. The stipules are noteworthy in that they are fused together and leaf like. The chartreuse yellow flowers are held in dense clusters above the foliage. This plant, together with a similar but dwarf variety, A. erythropoda, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The plant self-seeds freely and can become invasive. According to some accounts, lady's mantle has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy.[citation needed] According to other authorities, however, it has never been used medicinally, but has been confused with two species that have a history of medicinal use: A. alpina (alpine lady's mantle) and A. xanthoclora. The plant is often grown as a ground cover, and is valued for the appearance of its leaves in wet weather. Water beads on the leaves due to their dewetting properties. These beads of water were considered by alchemists to be the purest form of water. They used this water in their quest to turn base metal into gold, hence the name Alchemilla.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Rosales

            • Family: Rosaceae

              • Genus: Alchemilla