Moenchia

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Moenchia Ehrhart, Neues Mag. Aerzte. 1783. [name conserved]. A genus of plants in the Pink family Caryophyllaceae with 3 species native from the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and naturalized in southern Africa and parts of North America and Australia. They are herbs, with a annual life span. They have slender roots and thin stems that are upright or ascending. Inflorescences are one to three flowered and terminally end the stems. The flowers are in spreading cymes or solitary, with bracts paired that are leaf like. Named for Conrad Moench.

Common names for the plants in this genus include:

Upright chickweed

Published taxon:

  • Moenchia erecta (Linnaeus) P. Gaertner, B. Meyer 1799. (was originally named Sagina erecta Linnaeus 1753).
  • Moenchia erecta subsp. octandra (Ziz) CoutinhoM. graeca Boiss et Heldr.
  • Moenchia incana (L.) Roth, 1788 Basionym: Alyssum incanum L.
  • Moenchia mantica (L.) Bartl.
  • Moenchia quaternella Ehrh., 1783 = Sagina erecta L = Moenchia erecta
  • Moenchia speciosa Wender ex Steud., 1841 synonymy for a grass = Panicum saccharoides Kunth

Excepted species:

  • Moenchia erecta (Linnaeus) P. Gaertner, B. Meyer 1799.
  • Moenchia mantica (L.) Bartl.