Sheperd's Clock
Anagallis arvensis
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab & more
- Flowering
- September-March
How to identify Sheperd's Clock
Identify Sheperd's Clock by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Flowers close before rain (shepherd's clock/scarlet pimpernel).
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Opposite.
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- Confirm flower colour: Orange.
- Confirm fruit type: Capsule.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: September-March.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Anagallis arvensis
- Genus
- Anagallis
- Family
- Primulaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Native to
- Mediterranean
- Distribution
- Tropics and Temperate regions of the World
- Found in India
- Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-March
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- OppositerecordedTwo leaves arise from the stem at the same point, facing each other.“They bear bright green, soft, ovate sessile leaves in opposite pairs.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“They bear bright green, soft, ovate sessile leaves in opposite pairs.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Sheperd's Clock itself; the rest are typical of the Primulaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Orangerecorded
- Fruit type
- CapsulerecordedA dry fruit from a fused ovary that splits open at maturity to release seeds.“The dehiscent capsule fruits ripen from August to October in the northern hemisphere.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Umbel
Characters marked “recorded” are for Sheperd's Clock itself; the rest are typical of the Primulaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Tamil
- அனிச்சை, அனிச்சை மலர், அனிச்சம்
About Sheperd's Clock
A member of the Primulaceae family, Sheperd's Clock (Anagallis arvensis) is a herb. In India it has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab and 6 other states. Flowering and fruiting run from September to March.
Uses
It is planted as an ornamental.
Primulaceae
Primrose Or Primula Family
Sheperd's Clock belongs to the Primulaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Primulaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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