Hydrocotyle hirta
A.Rich. Hairy PennywortPerennial herb, often loosely mat-forming, stems prostrate (rarely ascending), hairy. Leaf-lamina orbicular-cordate to reniform, 6–25(–50) mm across, shallowly or deeply (5–)7-lobed; lobes obtuse, crenate-dentate; petiole 0.8–5(–15) cm long, usually quite hairy and appearing white; stipules membranous, entire, red-dotted, ciliate or fringed. Umbels simple, leaf-opposed, 3–5 mm diam., c. 15–40-flowered; peduncle c. 6 cm long, flowers sessile or subsessile, or pedicels occasionally to 1.3 mm long. Petals pale yellow, often red-dotted, as wide as ovary at anthesis. Fruits 1–1.5 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide, strongly flattened, often irregularly red-dotted; mericarps with prominent dorsal rib and filiform intermediate ribs, area between them convex. Flowers late summer.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also WA, SA, Tas. Common and widespread in a wide range of habitats, from open-woodlands to dense Nothofagus closed-forests, usually in moist, shaded sites.
A variable species in need of detailed study to determine if any of the leaf forms require formal recognition. See note under Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides.
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.
Spinning
