Geum rivale L.

Taxonomy: Fam. Rosaceae// Genus: Geum// Species: Geum rivale L.

Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Micevski (1998) and Gajewski (1968 in Tutin et al.).

Lifeform: Perennial plant. Hemicryptophyte according to the Raunkiær system.

Note: On the line of contact with Geum coccineum Sibth. & Sm. it forms the hybrid Geum coccineum x Geum rivale.

Distribution: Native from Europe to Siberia and Iran; Subarctic America to North and and West Central U.S.A. according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal.

Habitat: Wet habitats in the higher parts of the mountain: commonly found alongside streams and rivers as part of the hydrophilous (tall herb fringe) communities; it also occurs in moist habitats in European Beech forests. Recorded from c. 1200 up to c. 1900 m altitude in several localities: Ponikva, “Emirichka” River, region of “Carev vrv” peak – along the streams below the summit.

Flowering period: Late spring to early summer (MAY, JUN).

Locality: Ponikva.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 31.05.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 04.06.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo – Ponikva, 21.05.2023. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo, Ponikva, 28.05.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo, Ponikva, 19.06.2022. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

Locality: “Emirichka” River.

*Geum rivale* – habit. Osogovo, “Emirichka” River, 08.06.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Geum rivale L. Plants of the World Online portal, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:725355-1 [Accessed 28.05.2022].

Klášterský, I. 1968. Rosa L. In Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A. (eds.), Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 25–32.

Micevski, K. 1998. Geum L, The Flora of the Republic of Macedonia. Vol. I, Book 4. Skopje: Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, pp. 927–933.

Last update: 11.01.2026.

Explore more