Achillea ageratum

Achillea ageratum is a species belonging to the Asteraceae family.

Description

It is a perennial plant, about 50 cm tall, erect, herbaceous except for the base, which is woody. It has or may have leaves at the base, the rest are alternate, serrated or doubly serrated, without thorns, attached to the whitish stem and in a vertical position, showing the underside of the leaf. Small yellow flowers with yellow ligules, without scales in the receptacle, which are grouped together forming small heterogamous flower heads, these in turn form concave corymbs, of great beauty and pleasant smell with more than 15 flower heads. The fruit is an achene, obovate and compressed, without pappus. It multiplies by seeds and by division of bushes.

Taxonomy

Achillea ageratum was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 2: 897. 1753.

Cytology

Chromosome number of Achillea ageratum (Fam. Compositae) and infraspecific taxa: n=9

Etymology

Achillea generic name named in honor of Achilles. It has also been indicated that the name, more specifically, comes from the Trojan War, where Achilles healed many of his soldiers and King Telephus himself, king of Mycenae, using the power that the yarrow has to stop the bleeding.

ageratum: Latin epithet meaning "a plant that does not wither quickly; an aromatic plant".

Sinonimia

• Conforata ageratum (L.) Fourr. (1869)
• Santolina ageratum (L.) Baill. (1882)
• Achillea viscosa Lam.

Distribution and habitat

Its origin is uncertain and it is even thought to be a hybrid, probably from the Mediterranean region, where it is found in humid soils, preferably clayey soils. It inhabits ditches and roadsides.

Inflorescence

Detail of the leaves

Uses

Cultivated in many places for their pleasant fragrance and are moderately naturalized in some places outside their natural range. In the Middle Ages it was used as a planted herb to repel insects such as moths, lice and ticks and spreading a good smell in private rooms.

Common name

• Castellano: Agerate, algerate, Altareina, Altareina, Altareina, Artemisa enough, artemisa real, artemisia enough, camamila, eupatorio de Mesué, herbolan, herbjulia, herb julia, arnica, yerba Julia.