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.

Annual mercury
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Mercurialis
Species:
M. annua
Binomial name
Mercurialis annua

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

Isorhamnetin-3-rutinoside-4′-glucoside, rutin, narcissin (Isorhamnetin 3-rutinoside), quercetin-3-(2G-glucosyl)-rutinoside and isorhamnetin-3-rutinoside-7-glucoside 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. Mayfield, Mark H.; Webster, Grady L. (2016). "Mercurialis annua". Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  5. 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. Penticton Indian Reserve, British Columbia: Theytus Books. p. 35. ISBN 1894778243.
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