Geum

Geum, a genus of Rosaceæ, sub-order Potentilleæ, distinguished from Potentilla by the hardened hooked styles which crown the carpels, so that the fruit becomes a bur. Two species are common natives of Britain, G. urbanum, the Wood Avens or Herb Bennet, and G. rivale, Water Avens, the former with erect yellow flowers, and the latter with nodding flowers of a brownish hue. The former grows in hedges and thickets, the latter in wet meadows and woods, and sometimes even in very alpine situations. The so-called G. intermedium is usually regarded as a mere hybrid of these two species. Both are aromatic, tonic, and astringent, and of old repute among herbalists; the rootstock of the former was formerly gathered in early spring to impart its clove-like flavour to ale, and is still used in the preparation of liqueurs. G. canadense, the Chocolate Root or Blood Root of North America, has some reputation as a mild tonic.