Water Avens

Roots robust, terete. Stems erect, 25–70 cm tall, pilose or hirtellous. Radical leaves lyrately pinnate, 10–35 cm including petiole, with 2–4 pairs of leaflets, both surfaces scattered strigose; leaflets unequal, terminal one largest, usually rhombic-ovate, lobed, 4–9 × 3–8 cm, base broadly cuneate or subtruncate, margin markedly incised-lobed to 3-parted and coarsely serrate, apex rounded; cauline leaves: stipules green, ovate-elliptic, lobed to parted, herbaceous; leaf blade simple, 3-lobed or 3-parted. Inflorescence usually nodding, laxly 2–4-flowered. Flowers 2–2.5 cm in diam.; pedicel densely yellow pubescent and pilose. Sepals ovate-triangular, apex acuminate; epicalyx segments usually purplish, linear-lanceolate, minute, 1/3–1/2 as long as sepals, apex acuminate. Petals yellow, purple-brown striate, semiorbicular, longer than sepals, base abruptly tapered into a rather long claw. Style terminal, filiform, twisted at joint; proximal section yellow villous; distal section deciduous at fruit maturity. Fruiting receptacle hirtellous, hairs 1.5–2 mm; achenes yellow villous; proximal section of style persistent. Fl. and fr. May–Aug.

Xinjiang [widespread in Arctic and N temperate zone].

Thickets, meadows in valleys, ravine gravels; 1200--2300 m.