Spergularia flaccida

Spergularia flaccida, commonly known as the drooping pearlwort, is a delicate herbaceous plant valued in traditional ethnobotany. Characterized by its soft, pendulous stems and tiny white flowers, it holds significant medicinal potential. Research explores its bioactive compounds, offering promising insights into its therapeutic applications for various health conditions.

  • Scientific name: Spergularia flaccida
  • Family: Caryophyllaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is ordered under Caryophyllales and placed in the family Caryophyllaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus name, Spergularia.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Magnoliidae WCVP
Order Caryophyllales WCVP
Family Caryophyllaceae WCVP
Genus Spergularia WCVP

Common Names

This plant, Spergularia flaccida, is known by various regional names depending on the linguistic context. In English, it is commonly referred to as the drooping spergulariad, while in German, it is called die hängende Spergulariengewächs. In French, the species is identified as la spergulariée pendante, and in Spanish, it is known as la spergulariá colgante.
Language Common Name Source

Distribution

This plant exhibits a widespread geographical distribution across the Mediterranean region. In Southeastern Europe, its presence is specifically noted in Sicilia. Its range extends significantly into Northern Africa, where it can be found in Algeria. Furthermore, the species is documented throughout Libya and Egypt. Finally, the plant's distribution reaches as far west as Morocco.

Region Area Source
Southeastern Europe Sicilia WCVP
Northern Africa Algeria WCVP
Northern Africa Egypt WCVP
Northern Africa Libya WCVP
Northern Africa Morocco WCVP
Northern Africa Tunisia WCVP
Northern Africa Western Sahara WCVP
Macaronesia Canary Is. WCVP
Macaronesia Madeira WCVP
Macaronesia Selvagens WCVP

Activities

Spergularia flaccida has 5 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antiviral, Cytotoxic.

Total activities
5
Scientific sources
5

Most Reported Activities

Activity Sources Confidence
Antibacterial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antimicrobial 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antioxidant 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Antiviral 1 ★☆☆☆☆
Cytotoxic 1 ★☆☆☆☆