Hebrew: מרקולית מצויה, Arabic: الحَلبُوب الحولي
| Scientific name: | Mercurialis annua L. | |
| Common name: | Annual Mercury, Garden Mercury, French Mercury | |
| Hebrew name: | מרקולית מצויה | |
| Arabic name: | الحَلبُوب الحولي | |
| Español: | Mercurial | |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae, חלבלוביים |
Male flowers |
| Life form: | Annual | |
| Stems: | 17-35 cm tall; stem branched, often from the base | |
| Leaves: | Opposite, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, crenate-serrate | |
| Inflorescence: | Staminate inflorescence spike-like, axillary; short-peduncled, flowers clustered; pistillate inflorescence 2-3 flowers clustered, axillary, below staminate flowers | |
| Flowers: | Dioecious, male ( spikelike clusters) and female (clusters of 2 or 3) flowers on separate plants; staminate flower, calyx ± 1 mm; stamens exserted; pistillate flower, calyx ± 1 mm; ovary strigose, styles ± 1 mm; green | |
| Fruits / pods: | Capsule, bristly; seeds, pitted | |
| Flowering Period: | January, February, March, April, May, December | |
| Habitat: | Batha, Phrygana | |
| Distribution: | Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts | |
| Chorotype: | Med - Euro-Siberian | |
| Summer shedding: | Ephemeral |
Male flowers Derivation of the botanical name: Mercurialis, in honor of Mercurius (Roman), or Hermes (Greek), the messenger of the gods. annua, annual. The Hebrew name: מרקולית, merculit, from Mercurius.
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