Mercurialis annua

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Annual mercury
Mercurialis annua 2005.07.11 11.37.49-p7110221.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Mercurialis
Species:
M. annua
Binomial name
Mercurialis annua

Mercurialis annua is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae known by the common name annual mercury or (rarely) French mercury.[1] It is native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East[2][3] but it is known on many other continents as an introduced species.

Description[]

This is an annual herb growing 10 to 70 centimeters tall with oppositely arranged, stipulate oval leaves each a few centimeters long. The male flowers are borne in spikelike clusters sprouting from leaf axils, and female flowers grow at leaf axils in clusters of 2 or 3. The fruit is a bristly schizocarp 2 or 3 millimeters wide containing shiny, pitted seeds.[4][5]

The species is monoecious or androdioecious.[6]

A plant of Mercurialis annua can produce up to 135 million pollen grains.

Mercurialis annua fruit

Phytochemistry[]

, rutin, (), and can be isolated from the methanolic extract of M. annua.[7] Historically, the First Nations people of eastern Canada used the juices of the plant as a balm for wounds.[8]

Distribution and habitat[]

Mercurialis annua grows in many types of open habitat, including disturbed areas, from sea level to 1400 m.[4][5]

References[]

  1. ^ Willich, Anthony Florian Madinger (1802). "French-Mercury" . Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)  – via Wikisource.
  2. ^ Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Mercorella comune, ortiga muerta, urtiga-morta, Einjähriges Bingelkraut, mercuriale annuelle, Annual Mercury, Mercurialis annua L. includes photos, drawings, and a European distribution map
  4. ^ a b Mayfield, Mark H.; Webster, Grady L. (2016). "Mercurialis annua". Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b Messina, Antonio (2014). "Mercurialis annua". Acta plantarum. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  6. ^ PANNELL, JOHN R.; OBBARD, DARREN J.; BUGGS, RICHARD J. A. (2004-08-01). "Polyploidy and the sexual system: what can we learn from Mercurialis annua?". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 82 (4): 547–560. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2004.00340.x. ISSN 0024-4066.
  7. ^ Phytochemical investigation on Mercurialis annua. R Aquino, I Behar, M D'agostino, F De Simone, O Schettino and C Pizza, doi:10.1016/0305-1978(87)90042-1
  8. ^ Delâge, Denys (2006). "Aboriginal Influence on the Canadians and French at the time of New France". In Christie, Gordon (ed.). Aboriginality and Governance: A Multidisciplinary Approach. , British Columbia: Theytus Books. p. 35. ISBN 1894778243.

External links[]


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