The Genus Geum

1. Yellow Avens: Geum aleppicum - Perennial with hairy stems to 1 meter high. The several basal leaves are oblong-obovate in shape and up to 15 cm long. They are compound pinnate with the terminal lobe slightly larger than the lateral lobes. Individual leaflets are cuneate-obovate in shape. Inflorescence an asymmetrical, leafy-bracted cyme. Sepals 5-8 mm long and reflexed. Petals yellow and about equal to the sepals. Found in wet meadows and in boggy ground along streams.

2. Large-leaf Avens, Bigleaf Avens: Geum macrophyllum - Yellow flowers (the yellow is duller than the shiny yellow of buttercups) with 5 petals. Palmate, simple leaves are deeply parted into 3 lobes. The terminal lobe is much larger than the lateral lobes. Plant to 70 cm tall.

3. Purple Avens, Water Avens: Geum rivale -

4. Slender-stemmed Avens, Ross' Avens: Geum rossii var. depressum - Attractive perennial with pinnatifid leaves with silvery, silky, long hairs somewhat appressed to both sides of the leaves. Leaflets oblong in shape with entire to lobed or toothed margins. Stem leaves reduced. Flower stems 5-30 cm high topped by 1-4 flowers. Sepals often purplish and 6-10 mm long Petals yellow, spreading and from 6-12 mm long. Found on high cliffs of the Wallowa Mts.

4. Old Man's Whiskers, Prairie Smoke: Geum triflorum var. ciliatum (Synonyms: Erythrocoma ciliata, Geum canescens, Geum ciliatum, Geum triflorum var. canescens, Sieversia canescens, Sieversia ciliata) - Attractive perennial with most of the leaves in a basal rosette. The stems rise 30-50 cm in height. The basal leaves are pinnately compound with narrowly cleft or dissected leaflets. The 3-5 flowers appear as 3-5 nodding bells of red sepals. In bloom the flowers become erect and have yellowish flowers.