Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin Name

Mercurialis annua

Family

Euphorbiaciae

Flowering season

July to October

English distribution

It is found predominantly in the Southeast, the South and

the near Southwest. It is thinly scattered elsewhere.

See the BSBI distribution map for Annual Mercury

Habitat

It is an archeophyte, which was introduced from Roman

times and probably since.

It grows on nutrient-rich, disturbed, open, bare areas such

as cultivated ground, tips, quarries and roadsides.

It may be increasing.

Description

Annual Mercury is an annual herb growing up to 50cm.

Male and female flowers are usually on different plants.

The male flowers are arranged in clusters on erect spikes.

Individual flowers are up to 5mm and have 3 perianth

segments and up to 15 stamens.

Female flowers are in clusters or solitary in the axils of

leaves.

They are similar to male flowers and have 2 styles and

up to 3 sterile filaments.

The fruits are globular, bristly and up to 4mm.

Lower leaves are ovate and upper leaves oval-lanceolate.

They are regularly toothed.

Stems are erect, branched and angular.

When broken they produce a watery, milky fluid.

There are reports of Annual Mercury causing poisoning.