Mercurialis L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1981, Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae, Cambridge University Press : 212

4. Mercurialis L. 1

Usually dioecious. Herbs with watery sap. Leaves opposite; stipules small. Male flowers usually in clusters on long axillary spikes; calyx-lobes 3; stamens 8-15. Female flowers solitary or few, axillary, subsessile or pedunculate; calyx-lobes 3; styles 2. Fruit with 2 cells, each with 1 seed.

1 Rhizomatous; aerial stem simple 2 Lower leaves usually scale-like; petiole (3—)5—10(—18) mm 6. perennis 2 Lower leaves like the upper, but smaller; petiole 1-2 mm 7. ovata 1 Not rhizomatous; stems branched 3 Densely tomentose 5. tomentosa 3 Glabrous or sparsely hairy 4 Annual, without a thick woody stock 1. annua 4 Perennial, with a thick woody stock 5 Sparsely hairy; leaves incise-dentate 4. reverchonii 5 Glabrous; leaves crenate-dentate or shallowly sinuatedentate 6 Leaves crenate-dentate; fruit 3-4 x 5-6 mm; seed smooth 2. elliptica 6 Leaves shallowly sinuate-dentate; fruit c. 2x 3 mm; seed rugulose 3. Corsica