This entity with a mainy southeast-European distribution is present in all regions of regions of Italy, except perhaps in the Valle d'Aosta. It grows in dry meadows and pastures, but also along streets and in flower beds, on silty-clay soils rich in bases and nitrogen compounds, from sea level to the montane belt. The species is rare on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with dry grasslands. The plant smells slightly of cucumber and the tender leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or used as a flavoring; once this use was much more widespread, to the point that in some regions of Italy the old saying is still common 'the salad is not nice if you do not have the pimpernel (Italian: pimpinella)' (where 'pimpinella' was the ancient vernacular name of this plant). The species name comes from the ancient and unjustified use of Sanguisorba officinalis, induced by the red color of the flowers, to treat bleeding wounds. Flowering time: July to August. Syn.: Sanguisorba minor Scop. subsp. balearica (Bourg. ex Nyman) Muñoz Garm. & C. Navarro

Italian name(s): Bibinella (Italia), Salvastrella minore (Italia), Sanguisorba minore (Italia), Saprusella (Umbria, Morre di Baschi (Terni)).