Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

Home ⟩ Pictorial Guide ⟩ Rosaceae ⟩ Geum rivale / water avens

Geum rivale L.

water avens (Rosaceae)

 SpreadBias within British IslesDirection of bias
Very widespreadSlight tendencyN
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Geum rivale grows in damp soils, mostly close to rivers and streams; it is more common in the northern half of the British Isles than in the south.

Malham Tarn (VC64: Mid-West Yorkshire); 2017-05-21

 water avens / Geum rivale: _Geum rivale_ grows in damp soils, mostly close to rivers and streams; it is more common in the northern half of the British Isles than in the south.

The fruits of Geum rivale are wind-borne achenes, each showing a twice-kinked stigma.

Bransbury (VC12: North Hampshire); 2020-05-13

 water avens / Geum rivale: The fruits of _Geum rivale_ are wind-borne achenes, each showing a twice-kinked stigma.

Geum rivale and Geum urbanum hybridise freely to produce Geum × intermedium, which covers the range of variation between the parents.

Ilam (VC39: Staffordshire); 2017-05-20

 water avens / Geum rivale: _Geum rivale_ and _Geum urbanum_ hybridise freely to produce _Geum_ × _intermedium_, which covers the range of variation between the parents.

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne