Pictorial guide to the flora of the British Isles

Home ⟩ Pictorial Guide ⟩ Euphorbiaceae ⟩ Mercurialis perennis / dog’s mercury

Mercurialis perennis L.

dog’s mercury (Euphorbiaceae)

 SpreadBias within British IslesDirection of bias
Very widespreadSlight tendencyE
Plant Atlas 2020
BSBI Distribution Map

Mercurialis perennis is a woodland understorey plant; it is almost absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the far north of Scotland, but is otherwise widespread.

Enstone (VC23: Oxfordshire); 2008-03-01

 dog’s mercury / Mercurialis perennis: _Mercurialis perennis_ is a woodland understorey plant; it is almost absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and the far north of Scotland, but is otherwise widespread.

Mercurialis perennis is dioecious; the male flowers are borne in long spikes.

Stonesfield (VC23: Oxfordshire); 2018-03-23

 dog’s mercury / Mercurialis perennis: _Mercurialis perennis_ is dioecious; the male flowers are borne in long spikes.

Unlike in Mercurialis annua, the female flowers (and therefore also the fruits) of Mercurialis perennis are stalked.

Ticino, Switzerland; 2008-05-09

 dog’s mercury / Mercurialis perennis: Unlike in _Mercurialis annua_, the female flowers (and therefore also the fruits) of _Mercurialis perennis_ are stalked.

All images copyright © Christopher J. Dixon unless otherwise indicated.

L-R: Bidens tripartita, Melilotus officinalis, Mimulus guttatus, Thalictrum flavum, Ranunculus peltatus, Anchusa arvensis, Malva alcea, Lolium perenne