Mercurialis

Mercurialis perennis, Coutances, Manche, France

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Malpighiales
Classification System: APG IV Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Diaphoretickes Cladus: CAM Cladus: Archaeplastida Regnum: Plantae Cladus: Angiosperms Cladus: Eudicots Cladus: Core eudicots Cladus: Rosids Cladus: Eurosids I Ordo: Malpighiales

Familia: Euphorbiaceae
Subfamilia: Acalyphoideae
Tribus: Acalypheae
Genus: Mercurialis
Species: M. annua – M. canariensis – M. corsica – M. elliptica – M. huetii – M. leiocarpa – M. × longifolia – M. ovata – M. × paxii – M. perennis – M. reverchonii – M. tomentosa

Source(s) of checklist:
Govaerts, R. et al. 2020. Mercurialis in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2020 Jun 06. Reference page.

Name

Mercurialis L., Sp. Pl.: 1035 (1753).

• Type species: Mercurialis perennis L.; lectotype designated by J.K. Small in N.L. Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S. ed. 2. 2: 460 (1913), supported by M.L. Green in Sprague et al., Nom. Prop. Brit. Bot. 192. Aug 1929).

Synonyms

• Homotypic
  • Cynocrambe Hill, Brit. Herb.: 483 (1756).
  • Synema Dulac, Fl. Hautes-Pyrénées: 154 (1867).
• Heterotypic
  • Discoplis Raf., New Fl. 4: 9 (1838).

Distribution

Native distribution areas:

Continental: Europe Regional: Northern Europe Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland (introduced), Norway, Sweden. Regional: Middle Europe Austria, Belgium, Czechia-Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland. Regional: Southwestern Europe Baleares, Corse, France, Portugal, Sardegna, Spain. Regional: Southeastern Europe Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Kriti, Romania, Sicilia, Türkiye-in-Europe, Northwest Balkan Peninsula. Regional: Eastern Europe Belarus, Baltic States, Krym, Central European Russia, East European Russia, South European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Ukraine. Continental: Africa Regional: Northern Africa Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia. Regional: Macaronesia Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira, Selvagens. Regional: Northeast Tropical Africa Eritrea (introduced). Regional: Southern Africa Cape Provinces (introduced). Regional: Middle Atlantic Ocean Ascension, St.Helena (introduced). Continental: Asia-Temperate Regional: Caucasus North Caucasus, Transcaucasus. Regional: Western Asia Cyprus, East Aegean Islands, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, Palestine, Sinai, Türkiye. Regional: Arabian Peninsula Gulf States, Saudi Arabia. Regional: China China South-Central, China Southeast. Regional: Eastern Asia Japan, Korea, Nansei-shoto, Taiwan. Continental: Asia-Tropical Regional: Indian Subcontinent Assam, East Himalaya, Nepal. Regional: Indo-China Thailand. Continental: Australasia Regional: New Zealand New Zealand North, New Zealand South (introduced). Continental: Northern America (introduced) Regional: Northeastern U.S.A. New York. Regional: Southwestern U.S.A. California. Regional: Southeastern U.S.A. Alabama, Maryland. Regional: Mexico Mexico Central. Continental: Southern America (introduced) Regional: Caribbean Bahamas, Bermuda, Haiti, Jamaica. Regional: Southern South America Argentina Northeast, Argentina South, Argentina Northwest. Continental: Antarctic Regional: Subantarctic Islands Falkland Islands. References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition

References

Primary references

• Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus II: 1035. Reference page. 

Additional references

• Britton, N.L. & Brown, A. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British possessions: from Newfoundland to the parallel of the southern boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean westward to the 102d meridian. ed. 2. C. Scribner's sons, New York. Vol. 2: 460. Reference page. 
• Hitchcock, A.S. & Green, M.L. 1929. Standard species of Linnaean genera of Phanerogamae (1753–1754). pp. 111–195. In: Sprague, T.A. (ed.): International Botanical Congress. Cambridge (England), 1930. Nomenclature. Proposals by British Botanists. His Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Biblioteca Digital Reference page. 
• Qiu, H.S. & Gilbert, M.G. 2008. Mercurialis. Pp. 247 in Wu, Zh.Y. , Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.-Y. (eds.), Flora of China. Volume 11: Oxalidaceae through Aceraceae. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, ISBN 978-1-930723-73-3. efloras PDF Reference page. 

Links

• Govaerts, R. et al. 2025. Mercurialis in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Dec 6. Reference page. 
• Tropicos.org 2025. Mercurialis. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 6 Dec 2025. Reference page.
• Farr, E.R. & Zijlstra, G. (eds.) 1996 onwards. Mercurialis in Index Nominum Genericorum (Plantarum). Accessed: 2025 Dec 6. Reference page. 
• International Plant Names Index. 2025. Mercurialis. Published online. Accessed: 6 Dec 2025. Reference page.
• Hassler, M. 2025. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Mercurialis. Accessed: 6 Dec 2025. Reference page. 
• Euro+Med 2006 onwards: Mercurialis in Euro+Med PlantBase – the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity. Published online. Accessed: 2025 Dec 6.Reference page.

Vernacular names

• العربية: حلبوب
• azərbaycanca: Zöhrəotu
• беларуская: Пралеснік
• català: Mercurial
• Cebuano: Mercurialis
• čeština: bažanka
• dansk: Bingelurt
• Deutsch: Bingelkräuter
• English: Mercury
• Esperanto: Merkurialo
• فارسی: شنگرفی
• suomi: Sinijuuret
• français: Mercuriale
• hornjoserbsce: Šćěr
• magyar: Szélfű
• lietuvių: Laiškenis
• Nederlands: Bingelkruid
• polski: Szczyr
• русский: Пролесник
• slovenčina: bažanka
• svenska: Binglar
• Türkçe: Yer fesleğeni
• 中文: 山靛属

For more multimedia, look at Mercurialis on Wikimedia Commons.