Alchemilla  (Alchemilla minima)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

A. minima flowers from June to September and is a perennial. Where it occurs, the turf communities are closely grazed and the plant is able to set seed successfully at ground level, whereas larger Alchemilla species would have their flowers grazed by sheep. However, the plant is also able to survive vegetatively when overgrazing takes place. When A. minima was first identified as a species in its own right, it was regarded as an example of evolutionary selection resulting from its ability to survive intensive sheep grazing.

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