Alpine Lady’s Mantle is a hardy arctic-alpine plant native to the Scottish Highlands, notable for its deep-ridged, silver-edged leaves and tiny flowers. The yellow-green flowers are hermaphroditic, meaning they can produce seeds without needing to be fertilised - an interesting process called apomixis. Given that they don’t cross-pollinate like many other species, isolated populations can develop unique genetic variations that set them apart from the others. It can be found at both sea level and at altitudes of over 1000 metres in the North-west Highlands on and around Ben Macdui.
Lady’s Mantle has historically been utilised in herbal medicine for its acute astringent properties due to its high tannin content, meaning it tightens skin, seals wounds, and stops bleeding. It was considered a traditional remedy for acne, female reproductive health complaints, and menstrual issues. It is also noted in the recent RBGE publication Plant Magic by Gregory J. Kenicer (Illustrated by Sharon Tingey and Jacqui Pestell) as holding alchemic properties, such as the dew collected in the flowers being able to restore faded beauty and restore youth.
