Largeleaf pennywort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Largeleaf pennywort |
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| Largeleaf pennywort | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hydrocotyle
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| Species: |
bonariensis
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| Occurrence data from GBIF | |
| Synonyms | |
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Hydrocotyle bonariensis Comm. ex Lam. |
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Hydrocotyle bonariensis, also known as the largeleaf pennywort, is a cool plant that creeps along the ground. It's a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. This plant used to be in the family Apiaceae, but now it's part of the Araliaceae family. It belongs to the Hydrocotyle group and doesn't have any hairs on its stems or leaves.
Contents
Plant Features
Flowers and Appearance
The largeleaf pennywort has many small flowers that are white or creamy-yellow. These flowers grow on stalks that can reach about 30 centimetres (12 in) tall.
Reproduction and Spreading
This plant spreads easily! Its stems creep along the ground and grow roots at different points, called nodes. It also spreads using underground stems called rhizomes. The largeleaf pennywort produces a dry fruit that splits open when it's ready, releasing tiny seeds. Each part of the split fruit has one seed.
Where it Lives
You can find this plant in sandy areas. It's tough and can live in places that are sometimes very dry and sometimes flooded. Some other plants that often grow near it include:
- Ipomoea pes-caprae
- Senecio crassiflorus
- Juncus acutus
And some plants that grow very commonly with it are:
- Imperata brasiliensis
- Bacopa monnieri
Where it Grows Around the World
This plant likes to grow in sandy soil and in places along the coast that have been disturbed, like estuaries (where rivers meet the sea), coastlines, sand dunes, and near ponds. Hydrocotyle bonariensis also seems to grow better in places that are higher up.
You can find the largeleaf pennywort in many parts of the world:
- Africa:
- West-Central Africa: Cameroon
- West Africa: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal
- South Africa: Angola, Mozambique, South Africa
- Islands in the Western Indian Ocean: Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion
- North America:
- Southeastern United States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina
- South-Central United States: Texas
- Central and South America:
See also
In Spanish: Hydrocotyle bonariensis para niños
