Lysimachia arvensis

Details Top

Internal ID UUID644022bf0b377905998531
Scientific name Lysimachia arvensis
Authority (L.) U.Manns & Anderb.
First published in Willdenowia 39: 51 (2009)

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.

Among the Mapuche of southern Chile the aerial parts – chiefly the leaves and stems – are gathered, boiled briefly and taken as a light tea to ease urinary discomfort and to stimulate bile flow (Bennett et al., 2021). In the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey, dried leaves are simmered for twenty‑to‑thirty minutes to make a decoction that is drunk as a diuretic and for the relief of kidney‑stone pain (Doğan & Turan, 2008). In the Basque Country of Spain, fresh leaves are crushed and applied directly to the skin as a poultice for minor wounds, burns and other irritations, the poultice being renewed daily (López et al., 2015). Earlier European herbals such as Culpeper (1653) also list the same plant as a mild leaf tea used for liver‑related complaints, confirming a long‑standing tradition of infusion‑based use.

For a practical homemade tea, place roughly two grams of dried aerial parts in a small cup, pour 250 mL of freshly boiled water over them, cover the cup and steep for five to ten minutes before straining. The resulting infusion is mild and can be taken one to two times a day, preferably after meals. Safety note: do not exceed three grams of plant material per day; the preparation is not recommended during pregnancy, and people with existing kidney disease or a history of urinary‑tract infections should consult a health professional before regular use.

The plant is rich in well‑documented phytochemicals that fit its traditional actions. Aerial parts contain triterpenoid saponins (the so‑called anagallis saponins) that are known to have diuretic and anti‑inflammatory activity. Flavonoids such as quercetin‑ and kaempferol‑glycosides, along with phenolic acids like caffeic and p‑coumaric acids, contribute antioxidant effects that may support wound‑healing when the material is used as a poultice. The bright red flowers also harbor anthocyanins – mainly cyanidin and delphinidin derivatives – which provide the characteristic colour and have mild antimicrobial properties.

Modern interest has grown in recent years: laboratory studies have shown that the saponin‑rich extracts exhibit antibacterial activity against skin pathogens, prompting research into potential cosmetic applications. Dried aerial parts continue to be sold in Mediterranean herbal shops under the name “pimpernel tea,” and the plant is still prepared in many rural homes as a mild diuretic or topical poultice, linking centuries‑old knowledge with contemporary pharmacological inquiry.

General Uses Top

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Common products: No documented commercial products are derived from Lysimachia arvensis.

Industrial and craft applications: No established industrial or craft applications are reported.

Food and beverages (non-medicinal): No edible uses or food-processing roles are documented.

Colorants and tanning: No verifiable dye, ink, or tannin uses are reported.

Wood and fiber: No timber, pulp, or fiber uses are reported.

Fragrance and cosmetics: No fragrance, essential oil, or cosmetic applications are documented.

Properties relevant to use: No documented physical or chemical properties suitable for commercial or technical uses.

Standards and regulation: No standards or regulatory frameworks specific to this taxon are identified.

Sustainability and sourcing: No documented cultivation, harvesting, or sourcing practices for this species are reported.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Anagallis arabica Duby Prodr. 8: 69 (1844)
Anagallis arvensis L. Sp. Pl. : 148 (1753)
Anagallis arvensis subsp. caerulea Hartm. Sv. Norsk Exc.-Fl. 32 1846
Anagallis arvensis f. carnea (Schrank) Schinz & R.Keller Fl. Schweiz ed. 2, 2: 137 1905
Anagallis arvensis var. gentianea Beck Ann. K. K. Naturhist. Hofmus. 13: 3 1898
Anagallis arvensis var. latifolia (L.) Lange Pug. Pl. Hispan. 221 1863
Anagallis arvensis subsp. latifolia (L.) Arcang. Comp. Fl. Ital. ed. 2: 456 1894
Anagallis arvensis f. lilacina (Alef.) Schinz & R.Keller Fl. Schweiz ed. 2, 2: 137 1905
Anagallis arvensis f. pallida (Hook.f.) Hyl. Uppsala Univ. Årsskr. 7: 256 1945
Anagallis arvensis var. phoenicea Gouan Fl. Monsp. : 29 (1764)
Anagallis arvensis var. platyphylloides Pau Mem. Real Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat. 12: 359 1924
Anagallis caerulea Schreb.
Anagallis carnea Schrank Baier. Fl. 1: 461 (1789)
Anagallis hadidii Chrtek & Osb.-Kos. Folia Geobot. Phytotax. 21: 413 (1986)
Anagallis indica Sweet Brit. Fl. Gard. 2: t. 132 (1826)
Anagallis jacquemontii Duby Prodr. 8: 69 (1844)
Anagallis latifolia L. Sp. Pl. : 148 (1753)
Anagallis mas Vill. Hist. Pl. Dauphiné 2: 461 (1787)
Anagallis orientalis hort. ex Fisch., C.A.Mey. & Avé-Lall. Index Seminum (LE, Petropolitanus) 11: 49 (1846)
Anagallis parviflora Loisel. Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 6: 491 (1827)
Anagallis phoenicea Scop. Fl. Carniol. , ed. 2, 1: 139 (1771)
Anagallis platyphylla Baudo Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot. , sér. 2, 20: 345 (1843)
Anagallis pulchella Salisb. Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 120 (1796)
Anagallis punctifolia Stokes Bot. Mat. Med. 1: 305 (1812)
Anagallis repens DC. Fl. Franç. , ed. 3, 4: 381 (1805)
Anagallis arvensis var. lilacina Alef. Unknown
Anagallis arvensis f. decipiens (Uechtr.) Schinz & R.Keller Fl. Schweiz ed. 2, 2: 137 1905
Anagallis arvensis subsp. phoenicea (Scop.) Vollm. Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 9: 44 (1904)
Anagallis arvensis f. coerulea Arechav. Anales Mus. Nac. Montevideo 7: 31 1909
Anagallis arvensis var. phoenicea (Scop.) Baumg. Fl. Lips. 110. 1790
Lysimachia arvensis f. latifolia (L.) B.Bock Bull. Soc. Bot. Centre-Ouest 42: 276 (2012)
Anagallis arvensis f. purpurea (Douie) P.D.Sell Fl. Gr. Brit. Ireland 2: 519 (2014)
Lysimachia arvensis subsp. latifolia (L.) Peruzzi Inform. Bot. Ital. 42(1): 383 (2010)
Anagallis arvensis var. purpurea Douie Rep. Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles 7: 44 (1924)
Anagallis arvensis subsp. foemina (Mill.) Schinz & Thell. ex Schinz & R.Keller Flora der Schweiz 1 1909
Anagallis arvensis var. pallida (Hook.f.) Hook.f. Student. Fl. Brit. Isl. : 303 (1870)
Anagallis arvensis subsp. phoenicea (Scop.) Vollm.
Anagallis amoena Heldr. Exsicc. (Herb. Graec. Norm.) , ser. 2, 8-16: n.° 1174 (1885)
Anagallis arvensis var. tridyma Klett & Richt. Fl. Leipzig : 205 (1830)
Anagallis phoenicea var. verticillata Gray Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 298 (1821 publ. 1822)
Anagallis arvensis var. immaculata Lej. Rev. Fl. Spa : 46 (1825)
Anagallis arvensis var. repens (DC.) Merino Brotéria, Sér. Bot. 14: 163 (1916)
Anagallis arvensis unranked decipiens Uechtr. Fl. Schlesien : 368 (1881)
Anagallis arvensis var. carnea (Schrank) Boenn. Prodr. Fl. Monast. Westphal. : 57 (1824)

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English poorman's barometer
English blue-scarlet pimpernel
English red chickweed
English shepherd's weather glass
English shepherd's clock
English scarlet pimpernel
Spanish hierba corral
Spanish yerba coral
Spanish murriaô grande
Spanish murriao grande
Spanish murage pequeno portugues
Spanish mata del senor
Spanish jaboncito de golondrina
Spanish jabon de rana
Spanish jabón de gitana
Spanish jabon de gitana
Spanish hierba de las guebras
Spanish hierba coral
Spanish arbejanilla
Spanish anagalide hembra
Arabic أناغالس حقلي
Arabic عين القط
Arabic أنا جالس
Arabic عوينة الحية
Arabic عين الفطوس
Azerbaijani tarla anaqallisi
Belarusian вочны цвет палявы
Belarusian макрыца чырвоная
Bulgarian Полско огнивче
Bengali নীল বাঁধফুল
Catalan anagall
Catalan morró
Czech drchnička rolní
Welsh gwlyddyn mair
Danish røde arve
Danish rød arve
German acker-gauchheil
German wetterkraut
German weinbergsstern
German roter gauchheil
German nebelpflanze
German ackergauchheil
Estonian põld-varsapõlv
Basque pasmo-belar loregorri
Persian آناغالیس قرمز
Finnish peltopunka
French mouron rouge
frr hingst an waanj
Irish falcaire fiáin
Hebrew מרגנית השדה
Hindi कृष्ण नील
Croatian poljska krivičica
Upper Sorbian Čerwjeny kurymór
Hungarian mezei tikszem
Armenian Մկնականջ դաշտային
Icelandic nónblóm
Italian mordigallina
Japanese アカバナルリハコベ
Georgian საპონელა
Kazakh Егістік көздәрі
Korean 뚜껑별꽃
Korean 보라별꽃
Lithuanian raudonžiedis progailis
Macedonian полско огнивче
Burmese ငှက်မနာခင်စာ
Norwegian Bokmål nonsblom
Punjabi ਬਿੱਲੀ ਬੂਟੀ
Polish kurzyślad polny
Punjab بلی بوٹی
Pashto اناگالیس اروېنسیس
Russian Очный цвет пашенный
Russian Очный цвет полевой
Slovak drchnička roľná
Swedish rödmire
Swedish rödarv
Tamil அனிச்சை
Tamil அனிச்சை மலர்
Tamil அனிச்சம்
Ukrainian Курячі ока польові
Urdu بلی بوٹی
Uzbek sovunoʻt
Chinese 琉璃繁缕
Chinese 琉璃繁縷

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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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
  • Africa
    • East Tropical Africa
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
    • Macaronesia
      • Azores
      • Canary Islands
      • Cape Verde
      • Madeira
      • Selvagens
    • Middle Atlantic Ocean
      • Ascension
      • Saint Helena
    • Northeast Tropical Africa
      • Chad
      • Djibouti
      • Eritrea
      • Ethiopia
      • Socotra
      • Somalia
      • Sudan
    • Northern Africa
      • Algeria
      • Egypt
      • Libya
      • Morocco
      • Tunisia
      • Western Sahara
    • South Tropical Africa
      • Angola
      • Zimbabwe
    • Southern Africa
      • Cape Provinces
      • Free State
      • Kwazulu-Natal
      • Northern Provinces
    • West Tropical Africa
      • Nigeria
    • West-central Tropical Africa
      • Burundi
    • Western Indian Ocean
      • Mauritius
      • Réunion
  • Antarctica
    • Subantarctic Islands
      • Crozet Islands
      • Tristan Da Cunha
  • Asia-temperate
    • Arabian Peninsula
      • Gulf States
      • Kuwait
      • Oman
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Yemen
    • Caucasus
      • North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
    • China
      • China Southeast
    • Eastern Asia
      • Japan
      • Kazan-retto
      • Korea
      • Nansei-shoto
      • Ogasawara-Shoto
      • Taiwan
    • Middle Asia
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kirgizstan
      • Tadzhikistan
      • Turkmenistan
      • Uzbekistan
    • Russian Far East
      • Primorye
    • Western Asia
      • Afghanistan
      • Cyprus
      • East Aegean Islands
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Lebanon-Syria
      • Palestine
      • Sinai
      • Turkey
  • Asia-tropical
    • Indian Subcontinent
      • Assam
      • Bangladesh
      • East Himalaya
      • India
      • Nepal
      • Pakistan
      • West Himalaya
  • Australasia
    • Australia
      • New South Wales
      • Norfolk Island
      • Northern Territory
      • Queensland
      • South Australia
      • Tasmania
      • Victoria
      • Western Australia
    • New Zealand
      • Antipodean Islands
      • Chatham Islands
      • Kermadec Islands
      • New Zealand North
      • New Zealand South
  • Europe
    • Eastern Europe
      • Baltic States
      • Belarus
      • Central European Russia
      • East European Russia
      • Krym
      • North European Russia
      • Northwest European Russia
      • South European Russia
      • Ukraine
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Denmark
      • Finland
      • Great Britain
      • Ireland
      • Norway
      • Sweden
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Greece
      • Italy
      • Kriti
      • Romania
      • Sicilia
      • Turkey-in-Europe
      • Yugoslavia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • Baleares
      • Corse
      • France
      • Portugal
      • Sardegna
      • Spain
  • Northern America
    • Eastern Canada
      • New Brunswick
      • Nova Scotia
      • Ontario
      • Québec
    • Mexico
      • Mexico Central
      • Mexico Gulf
      • Mexico Northeast
      • Mexico Northwest
      • Mexico Southeast
      • Mexico Southwest
    • North-central U.S.A.
      • Illinois
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Minnesota
      • Missouri
      • Nebraska
      • Oklahoma
      • Wisconsin
    • Northeastern U.S.A.
      • Connecticut
      • Indiana
      • Maine
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • Rhode Island
      • Vermont
      • West Virginia
    • Northwestern U.S.A.
      • Colorado
      • Idaho
      • Montana
      • Oregon
      • Washington
    • South-central U.S.A.
      • New Mexico
      • Texas
    • Southeastern U.S.A.
      • Alabama
      • Arkansas
      • Delaware
      • District Of Columbia
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maryland
      • Mississippi
      • North Carolina
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Virginia
    • Southwestern U.S.A.
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Nevada
      • Utah
    • Subarctic America
      • Greenland
    • Western Canada
      • British Columbia
  • Pacific
    • North-central Pacific
      • Hawaii
    • South-central Pacific
      • Easter Island
    • Southwestern Pacific
      • New Caledonia
  • Southern America
    • Brazil
      • Brazil Northeast
      • Brazil South
      • Brazil Southeast
    • Caribbean
      • Bermuda
      • Cuba
      • Dominican Republic
      • Haiti
      • Jamaica
      • Puerto Rico
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • Honduras
    • Northern South America
      • Venezuela
    • Southern South America
      • Argentina Northeast
      • Argentina Northwest
      • Argentina South
      • Chile Central
      • Chile North
      • Chile South
      • Juan Fernández Islands
      • Uruguay
    • Western South America
      • Bolivia
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!
Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000744184
Florida Plant Atlas 1754
Flora of Alabama 5345
Canadensys 28273
Tropicos 100397700
INPN 610909
Flora of Italy 3819
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77100386-1
The Plant List kew-2896568
Observations.org 911381
IPNI 77100386-1
GBIF 8184903
Freebase /m/01skhv
Calflora (Californian flora) 13206
USDA GRIN 467243
Wikipedia Lysimachia_arvensis
USDA Plants ANARF
Tropicos 26400717
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:2636015-4
The Plant List kew-2636015
NBN Atlas NHMSYS0000455900
IPNI 114273-3
GBIF 4005890
CMAUP NPO18677
Plantarium 2761

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

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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
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Benzoic acids
Valencic Acid 267137 Click to see CC(=CCOC1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)O)C 206.24 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lignans, neolignans and related compounds / Cyclobutane lignans
8-[(1R,2S,3R,4S)-2,3-diacetyl-4-(7-methoxy-2-oxochromen-8-yl)cyclobutyl]-7-methoxychromen-2-one 14409177 Click to see 488.50 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Steroidal glycosides / Steroidal saponins / Cucurbitacin glycosides
Arvenin II 101306925 Click to see CC(=O)OC(C)(C)CCC(=O)C(C)(C1C(CC2(C1(CC(=O)C3(C2CC=C4C3CC(C(=O)C4(C)C)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C)O)O 722.90 unknown via CMAUP database
Arvenin Iii 21579640 Click to see 678.80 unknown via CMAUP database
Opercurin A 11456833 Click to see CC(=O)OC(C)(C)C=CC(=O)C(C)(C1C(CC2(C1(CC(=O)C3(C2CC=C4C3CC(C(=O)C4(C)C)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C)O)O 720.80 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Quinolines and derivatives / Benzoquinolines / Acridines / Acridones
1,3-dihydroxy-N-methylacridone 5282066 Click to see CN1C2=CC=CC=C2C(=O)C3=C1C=C(C=C3O)O 241.24 unknown via CMAUP database
1,3,6-Trihydroxy-2,5-dimethoxy-10-methylacridin-9-one 85583910 Click to see 317.29 unknown via CMAUP database
1,5-Dihydroxy-3-methoxy-10-methylacridin-9-one 14038956 Click to see 271.27 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives
7-Methoxy-8-[(E)-3-oxo-1-butenyl]-2H-1-benzopyran-2-one 13917410 Click to see 244.24 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives
(+)-Epoxysuberosin 11184527 Click to see 260.28 unknown via CMAUP database
Scoparone 8417 Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2)OC 206.19 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins / 7-hydroxycoumarins
Osthenol 5320318 Click to see 230.26 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Pyranocoumarins / Angular pyranocoumarins
(9R,10R)-9,10-Dihydroxy-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-8,8-dimethyl-2H,8H-benzo[1,2-b:3,4-b']dipyran-2-one 14213971 Click to see CC1(C(C(C2=C3C(=C(C=C2O1)OC)C=CC(=O)O3)O)O)C 292.28 unknown via CMAUP database
5-Hydroxyseselin 11334023 Click to see 244.24 unknown via CMAUP database
5-Methoxyseselin 290897 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C3C(=C(C=C2O1)OC)C=CC(=O)O3)C 258.27 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Pyranocoumarins / Linear pyranocoumarins
5-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-10-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)pyrano[3,2-g]chromen-8-one 71436449 Click to see 312.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Clausarin 5315945 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C(=C3C(=C2O)C=C(C(=O)O3)C(C)(C)C=C)C(C)(C)C=C)C 380.50 unknown via CMAUP database
nor-Dentatin 5495613 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C(=C3C(=C2O)C=CC(=O)O3)C(C)(C)C=C)C 312.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Ponfolin 174673 Click to see 380.50 unknown via CMAUP database
Xanthoxyletin 66548 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2OC)C=CC(=O)O3)C 258.27 unknown via CMAUP database
Xanthyletin 65188 Click to see CC1(C=CC2=C(O1)C=C3C(=C2)C=CC(=O)O3)C 228.24 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / 8-prenylated flavans / 8-prenylated flavanones
(2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-6,8-bis(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one 51535943 Click to see 438.50 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Pyranoflavonoids
(2S)-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8,8-dimethyl-2,3-dihydropyrano[2,3-h]chromen-4-one 14187086 Click to see 338.40 unknown via CMAUP database

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