Süstemaatiline kuuluvus (APG IV)
Riik: Taimed (Plantae)
Klaad: Soontaimed (Tracheophyta)
Klaad: Katteseemnetaimed (Angiospermae)
Klaad: Päriskaheidulehelised (Eudicotyledonae)
Selts: Nelgilaadsed (Caryophyllales)
Sugukond: Nelgilised (Caryophyllaceae)
Perekond: Nelk (Dianthus)
Liik: Nurmenelk - Dianthus deltoides L.

Botaaniline kirjeldus
Nurmnelk on mitmeaastane ühekojaline suvehaljas rohttaim nelgiliste sugukonnast, perekonnast nelk. Taim kasvab sageli hõreda muruna. Kõrgus varieerub 10-30 (-40) cm vahel. Taime iseloomustavad mõlemasugulised, kaheli õiekattega pikaraolised õied, millel on putkjas, teravahambaline ja ripsmelise servaga tupp, mida toetavad alusel kaks või harvem neli kilejat ääristega kõrglehte. Tupp on umbes 1,2-1,6 cm pikk. Kroonlehed on terved, lillakaspunased, harva valged, kaunistatud neelu kohal asuva tumepunase rõnga ja heledamate täppidega. Õied, mille läbimõõt on keskmiselt 1,5-2 cm, paiknevad varre ja selle harude tippudes. Taim õitsedeb juunist augustini ja teda tolmeldudes putukate abil. [1]

Vili on ruljas, tupepikkune kupar, milles seemned valmivad juuli lõpust augusti lõpuni. Seemned on umbes 2 mm pikkused. Lehed on lineaalsed, vahelduvalt kinnitunud lihtlehed, millest õitsevate varte lehed on 1-3 cm pikad ja 1-2 mm laiad, teravatipulised ja alusel tupeks kokku kasvanud. Mitteõitsevate varte lehed on seevastu lühemad ja laiemad, tömbitipulised ning alusel ripsmelised. Lehed on värvuselt tume- või sinakasrohelised, sügisel muutuvad need punaka varjundiga. [1]

Taime maapealne osa koosneb peamiselt õitsevatest varredest, kuid leidub ka vähesel määral mitteõitsevaid varsi. Õitsevad varred on tõusvad kuni lamavad ja alates keskpaigast mitmekordselt kaheks harunenud, kaetud lühikeste karvadega. Maa-alune osa koosneb peenikestest, roomavatest risoomidest. [1]

Levila
Nurmnelk on laialt levinud Kesk-, Ida- ja Põhja-Euroopas, kuid tema esinemine muutub harvemaks, kui liikuda lõuna ja lääne suunas. Ida suunas ulatub tema levila Venemaal kuni Baikali järveni, ning põhjapoolseimad looduslikud piirid jäävad Tromsosse ja Sør-Varangeri Norrasse. D. deltoides esineb võõrliigina ka Põhja-Ameerikas, Uus-Meremaal ja Austraalias. [2] Eestis kasvab taim liivikutel, kuivadel päris- ja looniitudel, puisniitudel, hõredates loo-, nõmme- ja palumetsades, teeservadel ja nõlvadel. Lubjapelglik, eelistab liivakaid päikesepaistelisi kasvukohti. Nurmnelk talub väga hästi põuda. [1]

Toime ja kasutamine
Nurmnelgil on verejooksu vastane, valuvaigistav, palavikku alandav, põletikuvastane, higistamist soodustav, spasmidevastane, antibakteriaalne, rögalahtistav, rahustav ja diureetiline toime. [3,4] Rahvameditsiinis on kasutatud valutavate silmade raviks. [1] Kasvatatakse iluaianduses kiviktaimlataimena.

Kasutatud allikad
1.bio.edu.ee. (n.d.). Nurmnelk. võetud aadressilt: https://bio.edu.ee/taimed/oistaim/nurmnelk2.htm  (17, 11. 2023,)
2. Stroh, P. (n.d.). [Dianthus deltoides species account]. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. Retrieved September 10, 2023, from https://bsbi.org/wpcontent/uploads/dlm_uploads/Dianthus_deltoides_species_account.pdf
3. AGFonds. (n.d.). Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides L.). Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://www.agfonds.lv/herbs/herbs-m-n/maiden-pink-dianthus-deltoides-l/
4. Shakiba Dastgerdi, A., Rafieian Kopaei, M., Jivad, N., Sedehi, M., Ardeshiri Lordejani, N., & Shakiba Dastgerdi, T. (2015). Effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of clove (Dianthus deltoides) on inflammation and pain response using the xylene test and hot plate test in mice. Journal of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 17(7). https://doi.org/10.22088/jbums.17.7.58. Retrieved September 10, 2023.

Classification (APG IV)
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Dianthus
Species: Maiden pink - Dianthus deltoides L.

Botanical Description
Maiden pink (Dianthus deltoides) is a perennial, monoecious, deciduous herbaceous plant from the Caryophyllaceae family and the Dianthus genus. The plant often forms sparse turfs and grows 10–30 (–40) cm tall. It is characterized by bisexual flowers with a double perianth. The flowers have a tubular, sharp-toothed calyx with fringed edges, supported by two (rarely four) membranous, bordered bracts at the base. The calyx measures approximately 1.2–1.6 cm in length. Petals are entire, reddish-purple (rarely white) with a dark red ring near the throat and paler spots. Flowers, averaging 1.5–2 cm in diameter, grow at the tips of stems and branches. The plant blooms from June to August, and pollination occurs via insects. [1]

The fruit is a cylindrical capsule as long as the calyx, maturing between late July and late August, containing seeds about 2 mm long. Leaves are linear, alternate, simple, and fused at the base into a sheath. On flowering stems, leaves are 1–3 cm long and 1–2 mm wide, sharply pointed, and dark green or bluish-green, turning reddish in autumn. Non-flowering stems have shorter, broader, and blunt-tipped leaves with fringed bases. [1]

The aerial part of the plant mainly consists of flowering stems, with fewer non-flowering stems. Flowering stems are ascending to sprawling, branching dichotomously from the middle and covered with short hairs. The underground part consists of fine, creeping rhizomes. [1]

Distribution
Maiden pink is widespread in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe but becomes less common in southern and western regions. Its eastern range extends to Lake Baikal in Russia, and its northernmost natural habitats are in Tromsø and Sør-Varanger, Norway. D. deltoides is also introduced in North America, New Zealand, and Australia. [2]

In Estonia, it grows in sandy habitats such as dry natural and alvar meadows, wooded meadows, sparse pine and heath forests, roadsides, and slopes. It avoids calcareous soils, preferring sandy, sunlit habitats. Maiden pink is highly drought-tolerant. [1]

Effects and Uses
Maiden pink is known for its anti-hemorrhagic, analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, expectorant, sedative, and diuretic properties. [3,4] In folk medicine, it has been used to treat eye pain. [1] It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in rock gardens.

References
1. bio.edu.ee. (n.d.). Nurmnelk. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from bio.edu.ee.
2. Stroh, P. (n.d.). Dianthus deltoides species account. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. Retrieved September 10, 2023, from BSBI.
3. AGFonds. (n.d.). Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides L.). Retrieved November 17, 2023, from AGFonds.
4. Shakiba Dastgerdi, A., et al. (2015). Effects of the hydro-alcoholic extract of clove (Dianthus deltoides) on inflammation and pain response using the xylene test and hot plate test in mice. Journal of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 17(7). DOI:10.22088/jbums.17.7.58.