Spergula arvensis
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ffd1ee8f6c335107571 |
| Scientific name | Spergula arvensis |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 440 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Traditional infusions and poultices of Spergula arvensis are documented across northern and eastern Europe, eastern Asia, and parts of the Indian subcontinent. In parts of Poland, Germany, and Denmark the herb is known as a diuretic and mild fever‑lowering tea, especially during winter colds; herbal manuals such as Hofmann’s Handbuch der offizinellen Pflanzen record preparations of 5–10 g dried herb per liter of water (decoction for 10–15 minutes, strained). Among the Mapuche of southern Chile, the species is familiar as “guanaco” and “perlilla,” where leaf and seed infusions are used to settle stomach upset and mild fevers (Bennett et al., 2021). In northeastern China and Japan, where it grows as a roadside “weed,” local pharmacopoeias list decoctions of the aerial parts for leukorrhea, constipation, and as a nourishing herb in convalescence (Zhongcao Yao, 1988; Yokohari et al., 2000). In classical Indian medicine, seeds macerated in warm water were considered nutritive and diuretic, and in Kashmir, decoctions of the aerial herb were given after childbirth to “cleanse” (Sayeed et al., 2015).
One practical recipe is a mild diuretic tea using dried herb: measure 4–6 g of dried aerial parts and add to 250 mL cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat, and steep, covered, for 10 minutes before straining. As a daily beverage, take 150–200 mL once or twice daily. Do not exceed three cups per day. Avoid in late pregnancy and if you have severe kidney or heart disease; because the plant is a common allergy trigger, stop if skin or respiratory irritation occurs.
Active constituents commonly reported in Spergula arvensis include flavonoids such as vitexin, orientin, isoorientin, quercetin‑ and kaempferol‑glycosides, and phenolic acids including ferulic and caffeic acids, alongside saponins (triterpene saponins of quillaic and gypsogenin types). These constituents plausibly account for the mild diuretic, anti‑inflammatory, and spasmolytic actions described in historical and regional texts.
Modern relevance: Spergula arvensis remains in use as a gentle winter tea and convalescent infusion in parts of Europe and East Asia, while newer phytochemical work focuses on its flavonoid and saponin profiles (Jäger et al., 2016).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The species is cultivated as a fodder and forage crop, primarily for sheep and cattle; the plant is also used as green manure to improve soil organic matter.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
In parts of northern Europe historically, young shoots and seeds were gathered or grown as a vegetable or grain; mature seeds have been used as bird seed.
Properties relevant to use:
Rapid growth and high seed production support its use in fodder and soil-improvement systems; small, oil-rich seeds have value as poultry and bird feed.
Scientific/model-organism use:
Spergula arvensis serves as a model organism for studies of seed dormancy and germination, and in weed ecology and crop-weed competition research, contributing to agricultural models and databases.
Sustainability and sourcing:
As a fast-growing annual weed, it requires minimal cultivation inputs; populations occur broadly across temperate to subtropical regions and are often managed as a minor agricultural crop or pasture component.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Spergula vulgaris | Boenn. | Prodr. Fl. Monast. Westphal. : 135 (1824) |
| Spergula sativa | Boenn. | Prodr. Fl. Monast. Westphal. 135. 1824 [14 Mar-20 May 1824] |
| Spergula maxima | Weihe | Arch. Apotheker-Vereins Nördl. Teutschl. 8: 51 (1824) |
| Spergula linicola | Boreau | Mém. Soc. Acad. Maine Loire 20: 14 (1865) |
| Spergula arvensis var. maxima | (Weihe ex Boenn.) Rohrb. | Fl. Bras. (Martius) 14(2): 264. 1872 [1 Feb 1872] |
| Alsine arvensis | Crantz | Inst. Rei Herb. 2: 408 (1766) |
| Arenaria arvensis | Wallr. | Sched. Crit. : 200 (1822) |
| Spergula arvensis subsp. sativa | (Boenn.) Čelak. | |
| Spergula maxima | Weihe ex Boenn. | Prodr. Fl. Monast. Westphal. 136 |
| Spergula arvensis var. sativa | (Boenn.) Rohrb. | Fl. Bras. (Martius) 14(2): 264. 1872 [1 Feb 1872] |
| Spergula arvensis subsp. maxima | (Weihe ex Boenn.) O.Schwartz | |
| Spergula arvensis subsp. vulgaris | O.Schwartz | |
| Spergula sativa subsp. linicola | O.Schwartz | |
| Spergularia arvensis | Cambess. | Fl. Bras. Merid. 2: 179 (1830) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | corn spurry |
| English | corn spurrey |
| Spanish | esparcilla |
| Belarusian | свінакроп пасяўны |
| Belarusian | свінакроп ільняны |
| Belarusian | свінакроп звычайны |
| Belarusian | свінакроп буйны |
| Belarusian | свінакроп |
| Belarusian | разметкі |
| Belarusian | вошкі |
| Belarusian | мінушкі |
| Czech | kolenec rolní |
| Welsh | llin y llyfant |
| Welsh | troellig yr ŷd |
| Danish | spergel |
| Danish | almindelig spergel |
| German | acker-spark |
| German | acker-spörgel |
| German | ackerspark |
| German | acker-spergel |
| Estonian | harilik nälghein |
| Persian | افتانی ارونسیس |
| Finnish | pohjanpeltohatikka |
| Finnish | peltohatikka |
| French | spargoute des champs |
| French | spergule des champs |
| frr | knobgäärs |
| Irish | corrán lín |
| Hindi | बनधनिया |
| Upper Sorbian | rólny kolij |
| Igbo | corn spurry |
| Icelandic | skurfa |
| Japanese | ノハラツメクサ |
| kbd | Бжэмышхлъэщӏ |
| Cornish | naswydh an tregher |
| Lithuanian | dirvinis kežys |
| Latvian | tīruma gaurs |
| Macedonian | Полска пршленка |
| Norwegian Bokmål | linbendel |
| Dutch | gewone spurrie |
| Polish | sporek polny |
| Quechua | wila qhura |
| Quechua | wila qura |
| Russian | Торица пашенная |
| Russian | Торица полевая |
| sco | yarr |
| se | bealdoseakkalasta |
| Samogitian | gauris |
| Slovak | kolenec roľný |
| Swedish | Åkerspergel |
| Swedish | spergel |
| Swedish | Åkerspärgel |
| Ukrainian | Шпергель польовий |
| Chinese | 大爪草 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Spergula arvensis subsp. chieusseana | (Pomel) Briq. | Prodr. Fl. Corse 1: 494 1910 |
| Spergula arvensis subsp. gracilis | (E.Petit) Briq. | Prodr. Fl. Corse 1: 495 1910 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
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Macaronesia
- Azores
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Middle Atlantic Ocean
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Ethiopia
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Northern Africa
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South Tropical Africa
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Southern Africa
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China
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Eastern Asia
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Middle Asia
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Russian Far East
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Siberia
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Western Asia
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Caucasus
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Indian Subcontinent
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Malesia
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australia
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New Zealand
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
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Middle Europe
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Northern Europe
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Southeastern Europe
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Southwestern Europe
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
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Mexico
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North-central U.S.A.
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Northeastern U.S.A.
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Northwestern U.S.A.
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Southwestern U.S.A.
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Subarctic America
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Western Canada
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Eastern Canada
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North-central Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Caribbean
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Central America
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
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- Chile Central
- Chile South
- Paraguay
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Western South America
- Bolivia
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Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000439880 |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 1779 |
| Flora of Alabama | 1456 |
| Canadensys | 4412 |
| USDA Plants | SPAR |
| Tropicos | 6300264 |
| INPN | 124499 |
| Flora of Italy | 778 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:158725-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2487413 |
| Plantarium | 36418 |
| PFAF | Spergula arvensis |
| Open Tree Of Life | 197647 |
| Observations.org | 7502 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 325515 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000003066 |
| Nature Serve | 2.148634 |
| IPNI | 158725-1 |
| iNaturalist | 57005 |
| GBIF | 3085810 |
| Freebase | /m/0cxyj3 |
| WisFlora | 5125 |
| EPPO | SPRAR |
| EOL | 484677 |
| Elurikkus | 7336 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 9630 |
| USDA GRIN | 35219 |
| Wikipedia | Spergula_arvensis |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_965199325.1 | dcSpeArve1.hap1.1 | Chromosome | WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE | 2025-03-13 | 69 | 331.94 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Lineolic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Elaidolinolenic acid | 5282822 | Click to see | 278.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/LIPI.19780800603 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |