Flora of Israel: White mignonette

Reseda alba, White mignonette, White upright mignonette,
Hebrew: רכפה לבנה, Arabic: البليحاء البيضاء

Scientific name:   Reseda alba L.
Common name:   White mignonette, White upright mignonette
Hebrew name:   רכפה לבנה
Arabic name:   البليحاء البيضاء
Family:   Resedaceae, רכפתיים


Life form:   Annual
Leaves:   Alternate, rosette, dissected once, dentate or serrate
Flowers:   White
Flowering Period:   February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Habitat:   Batha, Phrygana
Distribution:   Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands
Chorotype:   Med – Irano-Turanian
Summer shedding:   Ephemeral


Derivation of the botanical name:

Reseda, Latin resedare, “to assuage or calm,” because of supposed sedative properties.

alba, “white, dead white; pale”; bright.
The Hebrew name: רכפה, richpa, Reseda is mentioned in the Mishnah as one of the plants that produce color: “And the species of dye, poa and richpa“.

  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.