Water pennywort, Shining pennywort, Lawn pennywort
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides

Family: Araliaceae

What it is like

A small herb. It is slender and keeps growing from year to year. The stems are creeping and pressed close to the ground. Short aerial stems arise from the nodes. It grows 10 cm high and 30 cm across. The leaves are rounded to kidney-shaped and 3-6 mm across. They have shallow lobes. They leaves are smooth and without hairs. They are often shiny. The flowers are white or pale mauve and very small. They are in clusters of 3-7 and close to the stem.

There are about 130 Hydrocotyle species. Also put in the family Apiaceae.

Where it is found

A warm temperate and tropical plant. It requires a permanently moist position in sunlight or light shade. It grows in wetlands, damp gullies and forest. Tasmania Herbarium. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Cameroon, Caribbean, Central Africa, China, Dominica, East Africa, Equatorial-Guinea, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tasmania, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The whole plant is eaten raw or cooked. It can be steamed as a potherb or cooked with chillies and other spices. They are often eaten with small fish and used for curry. The leaves are made into chutney. The harvested leaves can be stored for 4-5 days.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. Plants are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Leaves, vegetable, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by seed or division of the root runners. They can also be grown from cuttings of the stem.

Its other names

Local names

Andem, Antanan, Antanan leutik, Ballarikerai, Chidome-gusa, Chong amok, Emit, Gimasak, Haru manimuni, Horumanimuni, Kanapa, Katepan, Khulkhuri, Lawn marshpennywort, Mandukaparani, Manimuni phisa jahar, Manimuni undai, Panuoruai, Patikim, Pegga embun, Pu di jin, Rendeng, Salatun, Saru manimuni, Tikim, Tomtomon, Ulam gunung, Ya-klethoi

Synonyms

Chondrocarpus sibthorpioides Sweet; Hydrocotyle hirsuta Sw.; Hydrocotyle latisecta; Hydrocotyle monticola Hook. f.; Hydrocotyle nitidula A. Rich.; Hydrocotyle puncticulata Miq.; Hydrocotyle rotundifolia Roxb.; Hydrocotyle splendens Zoll. ex Miq.; Hydrocotyle zollingeri Milk.;