Taxon:  Mercurialis annua L.



Summary
Genus:
Mercurialis
Family:
Euphorbiaceae
Subfamily:
Acalyphoideae
Tribe:
Acalypheae
Subtribe:
Mercurialinae
Nomen number:
24100
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:1035.  1753
Verified:
05/09/1996 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
5 (2  active, 1  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Mercurialis ambigua L. f.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)
Seed

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  3. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  4. CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. 1968-1974. The CIBA-GEIGY Weed Tables 61.1.
  5. Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
  6. Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 161-162.
  7. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  8. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
  9. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1554.
  10. Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
  11. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  12. Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
  13. Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
  14. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  15. Radcliffe-Smith, A. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
  16. Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
  17. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  18. Vibrans, H., ed. Malezas de México (on-line resource).
  19. 1961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishannual mercury  1Radcliffe-Smith, A. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. common names
EnglishFrench mercury  1Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1554.
Englishherb mercury  11961. Webster's third new international dictionary.
English (Canada)annual mercury Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 161-162.
French (Canada)mercuriale annuelle Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel2Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 161-162.
Germaneinjähriges Bingelkraut  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 1554.
Swedishgrenbingel  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaPortugalMadeira Islands Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusGeorgia  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaEgyptSinai Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeRussian Federation-European partEuropean part Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraine incl. KrymGovaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeAustria  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeBelgium  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeGermany  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeHungary  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeNetherlands  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropePoland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeMiddle EuropeSwitzerland  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeBulgaria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeFormer Yugoslavia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeRomania  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesTutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4Naturalized    natzd. elsewhereGovaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
Native
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Egypt [Sinai], Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
  • CAUCASUS: Georgia
Europe
  • MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Ukraine (incl. Krym)
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal
Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)
  1. Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
  2. Govaerts, R. et al. 2000. World checklist and bibliography of Euphorbiaceae
  3. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  4. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada. Note: poisonous
Vertebrate poisonsmammals Cooper, M. R. & A. W. Johnson. 1998. Poisonous plants and fungi in Britain: animal and human poisoning Note: poisonous
Weed  CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. 1968-1974. The CIBA-GEIGY Weed Tables 61.1.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=24100. Accessed 11 May 2026.