Hydrocotyle umbellata Linnaeus. Common name: Marsh Water-pennywort. Phenology: Apr-Oct. Habitat: Moist areas, including maritime grasslands. Distribution: NB; near the Great Lakes in w. NY, ne. OH, s. MI, n. IN, and ne. IL; MA to s. FL, west to sc. TX, south through Mexico to Central America and South America; CA south into Mexico; West Indies. Reported as a likely introduction for s. MO (Aaron 2024).
ID notes: Hydrocotyle umbellata can co-occur in maritime situations with H. bonariensis, which has larger leaves the blade generally held at a right angle to the ground's surface.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Bah, C, Can, Chap, F, Fl7, FNA13, G, GW2, Il, K4, MC, Meso4.1, Mex, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Ok, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, WH3; < Hydrocotyle umbellata L. — NE; Hydrocotyle umbellata L. Basionym: Hydrocotyle umbellata L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Hydrocotyle umbellata - FNA13
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
- Great Plains: OBL
- Midwest: OBL
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Hydrocotyle umbellata, Lake Wales Ridge, Lake Wales Ridge Wildlife and Environmental Area, Highlands County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Floating-creeping, aquatic perennial of marshes, shores of rivers or lakes and other moist areas.
Stems: Stems fleshy, branching, smooth.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, on long petioles attached near the center of the blade, round to kidney-shaped, notched at base, scalloped-edged, shiny and smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in erect, stalked umbels of 10-35+ arising separately from leaves and sometimes over-topping them; white; 1/8 in. wide; consisting of 5 spreading petals, insignificant sepals and 5 stamens.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 3-8 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Floating-creeping, aquatic perennial of marshes, shores of rivers or lakes and other moist areas.
stems: Stems fleshy, branching, smooth.
leaves: Leaves alternate, on long petioles attached near the center of the blade, round to kidney-shaped, notched at base, scalloped-edged, shiny and smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in erect, stalked umbels of 10-35+ arising separately from leaves and sometimes over-topping them; white; 1/8 in. wide; consisting of 5 spreading petals, insignificant sepals and 5 stamens.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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