4a6. Rosaceae Jussieu (subfam. Rosoideae) tribe Agrimonieae Lamarck & de Candolle, Syn. Pl. Fl. Gall. 333. 1806.
[(as Agrimoniaceae)]
Luc Brouillet
Herbs, perennial (annual or biennial in Poteridium) [shrubs or trees]; unarmed (hypanthia armed in Acaena). Leaves alternate, odd-pinnately compound; stipules persistent (absent in Acaena), adnate to petiole (free in Poterium); venation pinnate. Flowers: perianth and androecium perigynous; epicalyx bractlets absent; hypanthium hemispheric, obconic, ovoid, urceolate, top-shaped, ellipsoid, nearly orbicular, or obtriangular; torus absent; carpels 1 or 2(or 3), rarely more, styles terminal, distinct; ovule 1, apical. Fruits achenes, enclosed within enlarged, often hardened, sometimes armed hypanthia; styles deciduous, not elongate.
Genera 12, species ca. 270 (5 genera, 17 species in the flora): North America, Mexico, West Indies (Hispaniola), South America, Eurasia, Africa, Atlantic Islands, Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.
The base chromosome number for Agrimonieae is x = 7. Acaena and Sanguisorba are host to Phragmidium rusts. The tribal name Agrimonieae has priority over Sanguisorbeae, used by, among others, D. Potter et al. (2007). Agrimonieae also includes the genera Aremonia Necker ex Nestler (Europe), Cliffortia Linnaeus, Hagenia J. F. Gmelin and Leucosidea Ecklon & Zeyher (Africa), Margyricarpus Ruiz & Pavón and Polylepis Ruiz & Pavón (South America), and Spenceria Trimen (Asia) (Potter et al.).
SELECTED REFERENCES Kerr, M. S. 2004. A Phylogenetic and Biogeographic Analysis of Sanguisorbeae (Rosaceae), with Emphasis on the Pleistocene Radiation of the High Andean Genus Polylepis. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Maryland. Nordborg, G. 1966. Sanguisorba L., Sarcopoterium Spach, and Bencomia Webb et Berth.: Delimitation and subdivision of the genera. Opera Bot. 11: 1–103.
