Hydrocotyle pterocarpa

F.Muell. Wing Penny-wort
Trans. & Proc. Victorian Inst. Advancem. Sci. 46: 126 (1855)
Taxonomic status Accepted
Occurrence status Present
Origin Native
Degree of establishment Native

Perennial, procumbent herb, glabrous to glabrescent; stems creeping, rooting at lower nodes. Leaf-lamina reniform to orbicular-cordate, 1–5 cm across, almost entire or with 3–11 very shallow broad lobes, margin crenate; petiole 1–10(–17) cm long; stipules membranous, broad-ovate, entire. Floral bract lanceolate. Umbels simple, leaf-opposed, globose, 2–3 mm diam., flowers 6–16(–20), distinctly pedicellate; peduncle 4–30 mm long, subglabrous to sparsely covered with trichomes; pedicels 0.5–1.1 mm long at anthesis, 0.8–2.1 mm long when fruiting. Petals c. 0.75 mm long, cream, occasionally with pale reddish mottling. Fruits bilaterally very flattened, smooth, usually red spotted at maturity; mericarps 2.6–4.0 mm long, 1.8–2.5 mm wide, emarginate at the base and apex, distinctly flattened in transverse section; mericarp dorsal rib produced into a distinct thickish wing 0.5–0.8 mm high, lateral ribs prominent, intermediate ribs inconspicuous. Flowers spring–early autumn

GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also SA, Tas. Occurs in moist open-forest or warm-temperate rainforest where usually growing amongst rushes and sedges or on mossy rocks along watercourses.

Source:

Duretto, M.F. (1999). Apiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., ‍Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae‍, pp. 256–258. Inkata Press, Melbourne.

Updated by: Val Stajsic, 31 Mar. 2021
Hydrocotyle pterocarpa (hero image) Spinning
Hydrocotyle pterocarpa (distribution map) Spinning