many, see text Anagallis is a genus of about 20–25 species of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae, commonly called pimpernel.

The botanical name is from the Greek ana (ἀνα- 'again') and agállein (ἀγάλλειν 'to delight in'), and it refers to the opening and closing of the flowers in response to environmental conditions.

These are annual or perennial plants, growing in tufts on weedy and uncultivated areas.

They are usually solitary in the leaf axils, but sometimes are on short spikes at the end of the stem.

They were traditionally classified as members of the primrose family (Primulaceae), but a genetic and morphological study by Källersjö et al.[1] showed that they belonged to the closely related family Myrsinaceae.