Hepatica
Genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hepatica (hepatica,[2] liverleaf,[3] or liverwort)[4] is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, native to central and northern Europe, Asia and eastern North America. Some botanists include Hepatica within a wider interpretation of Anemone.[5][6]
| Hepatica | |
|---|---|
| |
| Hepatica nobilis | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Subfamily: | Ranunculoideae |
| Tribe: | Anemoneae |
| Genus: | Hepatica Mill. |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Bisexual flowers with pink, purple, blue, or white sepals and three green bracts appear singly on hairy stems from late winter to spring. Butterflies, moths, bees, flies and beetles are known pollinators.
The leaves are basal, leathery, and usually three-lobed, remaining over winter.
Hepatica was described by the English botanist Philip Miller in 1754.[7] It was proposed as a subgenus of Anemone in 1836,[8] but later segregated into genus Hepatica.
As of January 2021[update], Kew's Plants of the World Online (POWO) accepts 7 species and one hybrid in the genus Hepatica:[1]
One infraspecific taxon is also recognized by POWO:[9]
Hepatica can be divided into two series with respect to leaf edge:
The leaves of the series Triloba Ulbr.[10] Tamura:[11] are three-lobed with a smooth leaf edge.
The leaves of series Angulosa (Ulbr.)[10] Tamura[11] are three- to five-lobed with a crenate leaf edge.
The word hepatica derives from the Greek ἡπατικός hēpatikós, from ἧπαρ hêpar 'liver', because its three-lobed leaf was thought to resemble the human liver.[25]
Plants of genus Hepatica are native to Europe, Asia, and North America.[1]
Plants of the genus have been introduced to Belgium.[1]
Hepatica cultivation has been popular in Japan since the 18th century (mid-Edo period), where flowers with doubled petals and a range of colour patterns have been developed.[26]
Noted for its tolerance of alkaline limestone-derived soils, Hepatica may grow in a wide range of conditions; it can be found either in deeply shaded deciduous (especially beech) woodland and scrub or grassland in full sun. Hepatica will also grow in both sandy and clay-rich substrates, being associated with limestone. Moist soil and winter snowfall are required; Hepatica is tolerant of winter snow cover, but less so of dry frost.
Propagation is done by seeds or by dividing vigorous clumps in spring. However, seedlings take several years to reach bloom size, and divided plants are slow to thicken.
Hepatica was once used as a medicinal herb. Owing to the doctrine of signatures, the plant was once thought to be an effective treatment for liver disorders. Although poisonous in large doses, the leaves and flowers may be used as an astringent, as a demulcent for slow-healing injuries, and as a diuretic.[5]
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