{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Redirects|Liverleaf|liverleaf wintergreen|Pyrola asarifolia}} {{Speciesbox |image = Hepatica nobilis plant.JPG |genus = Anemone |species = hepatica |authority = L. |synonyms_ref = <ref name=TPL>{{ThePlantList|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2638271|title=Anemone hepatica L.}}</ref> |synonyms ={{Collapsible list| *''Anemone acuta'' (Pursh) <small>Vail ex Britton</small> *''Anemone acutiloba'' <small>(DC.) G.Lawson</small> *''Anemone praecox'' <small>Salisb.</small> *''Anemone transylvanica'' <small>Heuff.</small> *''Anemone triloba'' <small>Stokes</small> *''Hepatica acuta'' <small>(Pursh) Britton</small> *''Hepatica acutiloba'' <small>DC.</small> *''Hepatica anemonoides'' <small>Vest</small> *''Hepatica asiatica'' <small>Nakai</small> *''Hepatica hepatica'' <small>(L.) H.Karst. nom. inval.</small> *''Hepatica hepatica'' var. ''albiflora'' <small>(R.Hoffm.) Farw.</small> *''Hepatica insularis'' <small>Nakai</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' <small>Schreb. non Mill.</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''acutiloba'' <small>(DC.) Beck</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''albiflora'' <small>(R.Hoffm.) Steyerm.</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''hypopurpurea'' <small>(Makino) Nakai</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''lutea'' <small>Kadota</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''plena'' <small>(Fernald) Steyerm.</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''pubescens'' <small>(M.Hiroe) Kadota</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''rosea'' <small>(R.Hoffm.) Steyerm.</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' f. ''variegata'' <small>(Makino) Nakai</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' var. ''acuta'' <small>(Pursh) Steyerm.</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' var. ''asiatica'' <small>(Nakai) H.Hara</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' var. ''japonica'' <small>Nakai</small> *''Hepatica nobilis'' var. ''nipponica'' <small>Nakai</small> *''Hepatica triloba'' <small>Choix</small> }}}}

'''''Anemone hepatica''''' (syn. ''Hepatica nobilis''), the '''common hepatica''', '''liverwort''',<ref>{{cite journal |title=Early Spring Flowers of the North Carolina Mountains |author=Horace Kephart |journal=The Journal of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club |volume=1 |issue=7 |year=1936 |pages=77–83 |jstor=4031043|doi=10.2307/4031043 }}</ref> '''liverleaf''',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hepatica nobilis {{!}} liverleaf Alpine Rockery/RHS Gardening |url=http://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/8645/hepatica-nobilis/details |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.rhs.org.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref> '''kidneywort''', or '''pennywort''', is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This herbaceous perennial grows from a rhizome.

==Description== thumb|Blue and pink ''Anemone hepatica'' flowers thumb ''Anemone hepatica'' grows {{convert|5|-|15|cm|0|abbr=on}} high. Leaves and flowers emerge directly from the rhizome, not from a stem above ground.

The leaves have three lobes and are fleshy and hairless, {{convert|7|-|9|cm|frac=4|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|5|-|6|cm|frac=4|abbr=on}} long. The upper side is dark green with whitish stripes and the lower side is violet or reddish brown. Leaves emerge during or after flowering and remain green through winter.

The flowers are blue, purple, pink, or white and appear in winter or spring. They have five to ten oval showy sepals and three green bracts.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021|reason=No citation given}}

==Taxonomy== The taxonomy of the genus ''Anemone'' and its species is not fully resolved, but phylogenetic studies of many species of ''Anemone'' and related genera<ref>{{cite journal | title=Phylogenetic Relationships in Anemone (Ranunculaceae) Based on Morphology and Chloroplast DNA | jstor=2419720 | journal=Systematic Botany | volume=19 | issue=1 | date=January–March 1994 | pages=169–200 | doi=10.2307/2419720 |author1=Sara B. Hoot |author2=Anton A. Reznicek |author3=Jeffrey D. Palmer }}</ref> indicate that species of the genus ''Hepatica'' should be included under ''Anemone'' because of similarities both in molecular attributes and other shared morphologies.<ref>{{eFloras|1|101733|Anemone |family=Ranunculaceae |first1=Bryan E. |last1=Dutton |first2=Carl S. |last2=Keener |first3=Bruce A. |last3=Ford}}</ref> The circumscription of the taxon is also debated, some authors listing the North American var. ''acuta''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2638272|title=Anemone hepatica var. acuta (Pursh) Pritz. — The Plant List|website=www.theplantlist.org|access-date=2019-07-25}}</ref> and var. ''obtusa'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2845816|title=Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Pursh) Steyerm. — The Plant List|website=www.theplantlist.org|access-date=2019-07-25}}</ref> while other list them as the separate species ''A.&nbsp;acutiloba'' and ''A.&nbsp;americana'', respectively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomylist.aspx?category=species&type=genus&value=Hepatica&id=5554|title=GRIN-Global Web v 1.10.5.0|website=npgsweb.ars-grin.gov|access-date=2019-07-25}}</ref>

===Varieties=== Varieties of ''Anemone hepatica'' that are sometimes recognized include:<ref name=TPL/> * ''Anemone hepatica'' var. ''japonica'', a synonym of ''Hepatica nobilis'' var.&nbsp;''japonica'' {{small|Nakai}}, is native to the Russian Far East, China, Korea, and Japan{{r|POWO:77132909-1}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.hortipedia.com/wiki/Anemone_hepatica_var._japonica|title=Anemone hepatica var. japonica - Hortipedia|website=en.hortipedia.com|access-date=2019-07-25}}</ref> * ''Anemone hepatica'' var. ''acuta'', a synonym of ''Hepatica acutiloba'' {{small|DC.}}, is native to eastern North America{{r|POWO:711388-1}} * ''Anemone hepatica'' var. ''obtusa'', a synonym of ''Hepatica americana'' {{small|(DC.) Ker Gawl.}}, is native to eastern North America{{r|POWO:711389-1}} <gallery> Asian liverleaf.jpg|''Anemone hepatica'' var. ''japonica'' </gallery>

==Distribution and habitat== It is found in woods, thickets and meadows, especially in the mountains of continental Europe, North America and Japan.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021|reason=No citation given}}

==Ecology== Hepatica flowers produce pollen but no nectar. In North America, the flowers first attract ''Lasioglossum'' sweat bees and small carpenter bees looking in vain for nectar. Then when the stamens begin to release pollen, the bees return to collect and feed on pollen. Mining bees sometimes visit the flowers, but prefer flowers that produce both nectar and pollen.<ref name="pollinators">{{cite book |title=Pollinators on Native Plants |author=Heather Holm |date=2014 |publisher=Pollinator Press |location=Minnetonka, MN |pages=140–141}}</ref>{{Dubious|Dubious ecological facts|date=January 2021}}

==Toxicity== Like other Ranunculaceae, fresh liverwort contains protoanemonin and is therefore slightly toxic.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021|reason=No citation given}}

==Uses== Medieval herbalists believed it could be used to treat liver diseases, and may be used in current folk medicine.<ref>{{cite book |last=Howard |first=Michael |title=Traditional Folk Remedies |publisher=Century |date=1987 |pages=161–2}}</ref>

Under the name ''Hepatica nobilis'', which is regarded as a synonym, this plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.<ref name = RHSPF>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/8645/Hepatica-nobilis/Details | title = ''Hepatica nobilis'' | website = www.rhs.org | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 14 August 2020}}</ref>

==Culture== It is since 2006 the official flower of the Sweden Democrats political party in Swedish politics.<ref>[https://www.dn.se/nyheter/politik/sd-anklagas-for-blasippestold/ "Sd anklagas för blåsippestöld"]. ''Dagens nyheter''. 2006-12-23. Retrieved 2026-04-11.</ref>

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Ranuncolaceae - Anemone hepatica-2.JPG File:Anemone hepatica in the Horsan nature reserve.jpg File:Ranuncolaceae - Anemone hepatica.JPG File:Sinilill, makro.jpg File:Hepatica nobilis Kelchblätter W.jpg File:Hepatica nobilis kz1.jpg </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist|40em|refs= <ref name=POWO:711388-1>{{cite web |title=''Hepatica acutiloba'' {{small|DC.}} |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:711388-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> <ref name=POWO:711389-1>{{cite web |title=''Hepatica americana'' {{small|(DC.) Ker Gawl.}} |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:711389-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=12 January 2021}}</ref> <ref name=POWO:77132909-1>{{cite web |title=''Hepatica nobilis'' var.&nbsp;''japonica'' {{small|Nakai}} |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77132909-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=13 December 2020}}</ref> }} * {{cite book |last=Pignatti |first=S. |title=Flora d'Italia |publisher=Edagricole |date=1982 |volume=1 |page=277}}

==External links== * {{cite web |title=''Hepatica nobilis'' (Liverleaf) |url=https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id38361/ |website=BioLib.cz |access-date=15 January 2021}} * [https://www.paenflowered.org/apgii/ranunculales/ranunculaceae/hepatica/hepatica-americana Flora of Pennsylvania] * {{CalPhotos|Anemone|hepatica}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q15613598|from2=Q161050}}

hepatica Category:Medicinal plants of Europe Category:Medicinal plants of North America Category:Flora of Europe Category:Flora of Asia Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Flora of Eastern Canada Category:Flora of the Northeastern United States Category:Flora of the North-Central United States Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status