释义 |
dog's mercurynounA Eurasian plant of the spurge family, with hairy stems and small green flowers, found as a dominant plant of old woodland.- Mercurialis perennis, family Euphorbiaceae.
The charcoal is made from the debris created in the forest-clearing practice known as coppicing, which allows light into the woodland environment, encouraging ancient woodland flowers such as dog's mercury, butterflies and dormice....- Even on a late February afternoon, spring flowers were already well in evidence, especially butterbur, coltsfoot, dog's mercury, barren strawberry and even the odd primrose.
- The woodland areas are dominated by ash, oak, birch and hazel with an interesting ground flora including dog's mercury, wood anemone and moschatel.
Origin Late 16th century: translating modern Latin Mercurialis canina (former taxonomic name); the plant is poisonous and is contrasted with Mercurialis annua 'annual mercury', useful in medicine. |