General Appearance
Mercurialis annua L., it is an annual, dioecious, rarely monoecious herb. 10-60 cm high, glabrous to sparsely hairy; stem slender usually branching at base. Leaves ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, crenate-serrate, 1-5 high 0.5-1.5 cm, petiole 2-10 mm long. Male flowers in lax spikes. Sepals 3, greenish in colour, ± ovate. 1 x 2 mm. Stamens 15 per flower, filaments entire, reddish, 0.5-1 mm long. Female flowers with bicarpellate, hispid ovary, 1 x 2 mm, styles 0.5-1 mm long. Fruit a capsule, 2-3 mm in diameter. Seeds 2, sub globular, rugulose, c. 1.5 x 2 mm. Sterile flowers with 1-2 staminodes and rudimentary ovary sometimes also present.
Flowering in: Nov-May.
Life Form
Phytochoria
Distribution in Libya
Al-Jafarah Plain: Sabrata 2008
Benghazi Plain: Wadi El-Ghattara 2010 Beach sand dunes in Karkurah 2021
Jabal Nafusa: Near Ragag Tejween 1972 Ain Zarga, Jado 1978 Misallata (Shaafeen) 2008 Msallata-Garaboulli Province 2020 Gharyan (Sedrores Mountains) 2020
Al-Jabal Al-Akhder: Wadi Derna 1967 Wadi El-Kauf, Shahat, Ras El-Hilal, Wadi Derna 1978 Wadi Al-Agar 1999 Wadi Zaza 2003 Wadi (Valley) Stowah region 2007 S. of AL-Marj 2011 Al-Mansora 2013 Valley Jarjr-oma 2013 Wadi El-Kouf 2014 Wadi Haboon 2015 From Nuqrat Said to Wadi Al-Zagzoog 2019 Ain Mara 2020
Marmarica Plateau: Reported in Marmarica north-eastern part of Libya by Pampanini 1930 Marmarica (north-eastern part of Libya) 2002
Notes
Wild in Libya, medicinal plant.
This species is accepted: https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:352179-1
Link of images: https://flora.org.il/en/plants/merann/, https://www.maltawildplants.com/EUPH/Mercurialis_annua.php, https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/mercurialis/annua/, https://www.i-flora.com/en/the-smartphone-apps/iflora-deutschland/species/art/show/mercurialis-annua-1.html
For more information
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:352179-1, https://www.ipni.org/n/352179-1, https://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000241716, https://www.gbif.org/species/3062975, https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/specie/107243/mercurialis-annua-l, https://www.maltawildplants.com/EUPH/Mercurialis_annua.php, https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/mercurialis/annua/, https://www.ksanature.com/plants/mercurialis_annua/, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=33300, https://flora.org.il/en/plants/merann/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercurialis_annua
First: Encyclopedia Flora of Libyan:
Jafri, S.M.H. & El-Gadi, A. (1982) Flora of Libya, Euphorbiaceae Vol. (89) Department of Botany, Al-Faateh Univ., Tripoli, Libya. Page. 8.
Second: Researches and PhD theses, master theses, Sorted by Newest:
Alteerah, M.A., El-Barasi, Y.M., Ali Alwerfally, A. (2023) Vegetation cover composition and seed bank study of beach sand dunes in Karkurah coastal area, east of Libya. Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research, (ISSN: 0719-3726), 11(X), 2023. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Munay-Alteerah
Vegetation cover composition and seed bank study of beach sand dunes in Karkurah coastal area. 2023
Saaed, M.W.B., EL-Barasi, Y.M. & Rahil, R.O. (2021) An updated checklist and quantitative analysis of the Marmarica Plateau flora, in the north-eastern part of Libya. Phytotaxa 509 (1): 001-055. https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.509.1.1
An-updated-checklist-and-quantitative-analysis-of-the-Marmarica-Plateau-flora-مضغوط
Al-Maqsabi, F. M. & Makhlouf, M. A. (2020) Vegetation cover in the Ain Mara region, Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region – Libya. The Libyan Journal of Science (An International Journal): Volume 23, 2020. (In Arabic) https://uot.edu.ly/journals/index.php/ljs/article/view/122, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Farag-Elmokasabi-2
الغطاء النباتي في منطقة عين مارة بمنطقة الجبل الاخضر2020
El-Ahmir, S.M., Mahklouf, M.H., Shanta, M.B., Abo-Jaafer, H.A. (2020) Floristic Study of Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan District-Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology. Volume 8 / Issue 1. ISSN: 2348-7313. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sh-Hoob-El-Ahmir, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf
Floristic Study of Sedrores Mountains in Gharyan District – Libya. 2020
Mahklouf, M.H., Sherif, A.S., Betelmal, A.G. (2020) Floristic Study and Species Diversity of Msallata-Garaboulli Province in Libya. J. of Advanced Botany and Zoology Volume 7 / Issue 3 ISSN: 2348-7313. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohammed-Mahklouf, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341306643_Floristic_Study_and_Species_Diverisy_of_Msallata-Garaboulli_Province_in_Libya
Floristic Study and Species Diverisy of Msallata-Garaboulli Province. 2020
Ali, A. M., Lashhab, S. R., Abu-Aweena, A. A.M. (2019) Classification of vegetation cover and its geographical distribution in the area extending between Al-Haniya and Wadi Zagzoog in the north to Lasastata and Bishtaya in the south. Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar eastern Libya. Issue (61) Journal of Science and Human Studies- Al-Marj-University of Benghazi-Libya (In Arabic). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/sd-lshhb, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339238955_tsnyf_alghta_alnbaty_wtwzyh_aljghrafy_fy_almntqt_almmtdt_ma_byn_alhnyt_wwady_alzqzwq_shmala_hty_lstath_wbshtaya_jnwba_aljbl_alakhdr_shrq_lybya
El-Rabiai, G.T. & Al tira, M. (2015) Checklist of the Flora of Wadi Haboon at AI Jabal AI Akhdar (Cyrenaica, Libya). International Journal of Pharmacy & Life Sciences 6(8-9): Aug-Sep, 2015:4661-4665] Coden (USA): IJPLCP ISSN: 0976-7126. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Munay-Alteerah https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292919013_Checklist_of_the_Flora_of_Wadi_Haboonat_AI_Jabal_AI_Akhdar_Cyrenaica_Libya
Checklist of the Flora of Wadi Haboonat AI Jabal AI Akhdar. 2015
El-Mokasabi, F M. (2014) Floristic Composition and Traditional Uses of Plant Species at Wadi Al-kuf, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Libya. American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 14 (8): 685-697, 2014, ISSN 1818-769,IDOSIPublications,2014DOI:10.5829/idosi.aejaes.2014.14.08.12375. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/441b/23b83960f007044aca94e26f5c6b170fe102.pdf
Plant Species at Wadi Alkuf, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Libya 2014
Abusaief, H. M. A. (2013) Life forms and rangeland for many habitats of Jarjar oma in Al-Jabal Al- Akhdar on Mediterranean Sea. Journal of American Science 2013;9(5) http://www.jofamericanscience.org/journals/am-sci/am0905/029_17747am0905_236_249.pdf
Life forms and rangeland for many habitats of Jarjar oma in Al- Jabal Al- Akhdar. 2013
Abusaief, H. M. A. and Dakhil, A. H. (2013) The floristic composition of Rocky habitat of Al Mansora in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar- Libya. New York Science Journal 2013; 6(5). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Huda-Abusaief
Foristic composition of Rocky habitat of Al Mansora in Al- Jabal Al- Akhdar 2013
EL-Barasi, Y. M., Barrani, M. W., Abdelsalam, O. EL-Amrouni, N., Mohamad, F. (2011) Check list of flora and vegetation on south EL-Marj zone: south EL-Jabal EL-Akhadar. Libya. Annals of Faculty Engineering Hunedoara-International Journal of Engineering. Tome IX (Year 2011). Fascicule 3. ISSN 1584-2673, 141-146. http://annals.fih.upt.ro/pdf-full/2011/ANNALS-2011-3-24.pdf
FLORA AND VEGETATION ON SOUTH EL-MARJ ZONE SOUTH EL-JABAL EL-AKHADAR.2011
El-Rabiai, G.T., Al tira, F.M., Lamlom, S.H. (2010) Preliminary Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. Garyounis University Press Journal of Science and Its Applications Vol. 4, No. 1, pp 39-47, December 2010. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Wz8jpkIAAAAJ&hl=ar, https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ALTsoucAAAAJ&hl=en, https://journals.uob.edu.ly/index.php/sjuob/issue/view/71
Checklist for the Flora of Wadi El Ghattara in Libya. 2010
Mohammed, S.A.H. (2008) A taxonomic and ecological study of the plants of the Shaafin Reserve in Masalatah. Master Thesis. Department of Biology-Faculty of Arts and Sciences-Al-Mirqab University. Al-Khums. Libya. (In Arabic).
Nawras, A. M. B. (2007) A study of the vegetation cover in the Wadi (Valley) Stowah region. Master Thesis. Botany Department-Faculty of Science-Garyounis University-Libya. (In Arabic).
El-Barasi, Y. M., EI-Sherif, l. M. & Gawhari, A. M. H. (2003) Checklist and analysis of the flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at AI-Jabal AI Akhdar (Cyrenaica, Libya). Bocconea 16 (2): 1091-1105. 2003. – ISSN 1120-4060. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yacoub-El-Barasi, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-Gawhari, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281559070_Checklist_and_analysis_of_the_flora_and_vegetation_of_Wadi_Zaza_at_AI-Jabal_AI_Akhdar_Cyrenaica_Libya
Flora and vegetation of Wadi Zaza at Al-Jabal AI Akhdar 2003-مضغوط
El-Shaary M.S. (2002). The Natural Vegetation in Marmarica plateau (North-eastern Libya). First ed. Tobruk (Libya): Published by the local Authority. (In Arabic).
Al-Hamadi R.I. (1999) Floristic and ecological study of Wadi Al-Agar, Master Thesis, Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Botany Department-Faculty of Science-Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya. (In Arabic).









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