Moenchia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{More citations needed|date=October 2017}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Moenchia erecta i01.jpg

|image_caption = Moenchia erecta

|taxon = Moenchia

|authority = Ehrh.

|subdivision_ranks = Species

|subdivision = Moenchia erecta (L.) P. Gaertner
Moenchia graeca (Boiss) Heldr.

Moenchia mantica (L.) Bartl.

}}

Moenchia is a genus of plants in the family Caryophyllaceae with three species native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe and naturalised in southern Africa and parts of North America and Australia. They are herbs, with an 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 after the 18th century German botanist Conrad Moench.{{cite book |year=1981 |title=Reader's Digest Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of Britain |page=80 |publisher=Reader's Digest |isbn=9780276002175}} A common name for the plants in this genus is upright chickweeds.

The species was first published by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart in 'Neues Mag. Aerzte' Vol.5 Issue 3, on page 203 on 11 June 1783.{{cite web|title=Caryophyllaceae Moenchia Ehrh.|url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=331778-2|publisher=ipni.org|accessdate=29 October 2017}}