The Latin for blood-staunching, referring to the purported medicinal properties of some species.
Herbs, often with woody rootstocks. Leaves pinnate; stipules leaf-like and often crescent-shaped. Leaflets short-stalked, margins toothed. Flower clusters in rounded or cylindrical heads, opening sequentially from either the top or bottom. Flowers female or bisexual. Perianth segments 4, green, white or red. Stamens 4-30. Carpels 1-3, free. Fruit an achene or group of achenes.
The genus includes species formerly placed in Poterium and is grown in the herb garden as S. minor.
About 10 northern temperate species.
Seed.
S. minor is used as a winter salad plant as well as having many medicinal properties.
Crescent-shaped stipules on leaf stalks.
Nordborg (1966, 1967).
Source: (2002). Rosaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.