Common name: Pennywort
Hydrocotyle tripartita R.Br. ex A.Rich. APNI* Synonyms: Hydrocotyle sp. aff. tripartita sensu Burbidge & Gray (1976) APNI*
Description: Small slender perennial herb, stems procumbent, creeping and rooting at least at the lower nodes, usually 2–10 cm high, occasionally mat-forming; glabrous or hairy.
Leaves circular to reniform in outline, 4–20 mm diam., divided to base or nearly so into 3–5 segments; segments obovate, to c. 10 mm long, apex cuneate, often lobed or deeply divided again apically, often toothed; lamina strigose, hairs more dense on lower surface; petiole to c. 5 cm long with long reflexed hairs especially towards the apex; stipules membranous, entire.
Umbels small, head-like, 3–6-flowered, ± sessile; peduncle filiform, leaf-opposed, shorter than the petiole. Petals greenish, yellowish or purplish.
Fruit c. 1 mm long, c. 2 mm wide, compressed laterally; mericarps with acute dorsal and intermediate ribs and inconspicuous lateral ribs.
Flowering: throughout year, mainly November–March
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in damp places in forest along watercourses; widespread, from coastal districts inland to Armidale area, Warrabah N.P. and the A.C.T.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
Formerly in Apiaceae.
Text by S. M. Hastings & B. M. Wiecek
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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