Dog's Mercury

Dog's Mercury

Taxobox
name = Dog's Mercury


image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Mangnoliopsida
ordo = Malpighiales
familia = Euphorbiaceae
genus = "Mercurialis"
species = "M. perennis"
binomial = "Mercurialis perennis"
binomial_authority = L.

"Mercurialis perennis", or Dog's Mercury, is a spring flower found across Europe, but almost absent from Ireland, Orkney and Shetland. It is a hairy dioecious perennial with erect stems bearing simple, serrate leaves. The inflorescence is green bearing inconspicuous flowers in March and April.It is frequently found covering large areas in dense stands as an understorey plant in woodlands, especially, but not exclusively, on calcareous soils.

Dog's Mercury is a poisonous plant; however, boiling or drying can destroy the toxins.

This plant favours alkaline (basic) soils and can be found in abundance in limestone regions particularly in Yorkshire. It also favours deep shade and can survive in semi-shade, however in areas of high light intensity Dog's Mercury will give way to different plants.

ee also

* List of early spring flowers


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Dog's mercury — Mercury Mer cu*ry, n. [L. Mercurius; akin to merx wares.] 1. (Rom. Myth.) A Latin god of commerce and gain; treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dog's mercury — noun European perennial weedy plant with greenish flowers • Syn: ↑dog mercury, ↑Mercurialis perennis • Hypernyms: ↑herb, ↑herbaceous plant • Member Holonyms: ↑Mercurialis, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • dog's-mercury — dog sˈ merˈcury noun A euphorbiaceous European plant (Mercurialis perennis) • • • Main Entry: ↑dog …   Useful english dictionary

  • dog's mercury — noun a plant of the spurge family, with hairy stems and small green flowers. [Mercurialis perennis.] Origin C16: translating mod. L. Mercurialis canina (former taxonomic name) …   English new terms dictionary

  • dog's mercury — /dɒgz ˈmɜkjəri/ (say dogz merkyuhree) noun a euphorbiaceous creeping perennial, Mercuralis perennis, with small unisexual flowers; common in woods of Europe and south western Asia …  

  • Mercury — Mer cu*ry, n. [L. Mercurius; akin to merx wares.] 1. (Rom. Myth.) A Latin god of commerce and gain; treated by the poets as identical with the Greek Hermes, messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dog- — s mercury, dog see Mercury …   Useful english dictionary

  • dog'smercury — dog s mercury n. A creeping, ill smelling Old World weed (Mercurialis perennis) having small greenish flowers. * * * …   Universalium

  • dog mercury — noun European perennial weedy plant with greenish flowers • Syn: ↑dog s mercury, ↑Mercurialis perennis • Hypernyms: ↑herb, ↑herbaceous plant • Member Holonyms: ↑Mercurialis, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • mercury — /ˈmɜkjəri / (say merkyuhree) noun (plural mercuries) 1. Chemistry a heavy, silver white metallic element, remarkable for its fluidity at ordinary temperatures; quicksilver. Symbol: Hg; relative atomic mass: 200.59; atomic number: 80; density:… …  

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