Hydrocotyle mannii Hook.f.

Umbelliferae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Slender trailing perennial, rooting at the lower nodes with the flowering tips frequently ascending and ± erect, rising to as much as ± 30 cm. or the height of surrounding herbs or grass, rootlets sparse to dense, lower internodes 0.6–8 cm., stem slender, greenish to red or brownish, striate.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves not peltate, the lamina reniform or almost round, ± 7–50 mm. in diameter, 5–9-lobed with rounded to acute, bluntly to sharply or irregularly denticulate lobes, pilose on both surfaces though sometimes sparingly so above; petiole slender, 0.7–10(–20) cm., pilose throughout or (especially when very long) in the upper 2/3; stipules broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, hyaline (the lower becoming brownish and membranous), entire or shortly denticulate, without purplish streaks, ± 1–2.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a rounded capitate umbel of (8–)10–25(–30) flowers, 3–5 mm. in diameter; peduncle (0–)0.3–9(–15) cm., pilose to glabrous; involucre of ± 3–5 broadly or narrowly oblong, membranous, 0.5–1 mm. bracts; pedicels very short; bracteoles narrowly spathulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals greenish to white, lanceolate, 0.5–0.75 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit laterally compressed, yellowish green (sometimes reddish when ripe) ± 1.5–1.8 × 1 mm., the ribs filiform, very narrow but clearly prominent; stylopodia very flat, ± obsolete; styles spreading, slender, ± 0.4–0.6 mm.

Umbelliferae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology Stem

Stem prostrate, terete, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves long-petiolate, 1–2 (3) at each node, circular to reniform, basal sinus very narrow.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 1·5–11 cm. long, sub-glabrous to hirsute, with numerous long, white, bristly hairs especially near the tip.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Lamina 1–5 × 0·75–4·5 cm., with 5–12 lobes, the sinuses between the lobes varying from shallow to extending halfway to the centre of the leaf; lobe margins subentire to crenate-dentate; inferior surface with numerous bristly hairs, especially on the veins; superior surface with similar hairs, which may be only very sparsely distributed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a subcapitate umbel; peduncle rather variable in length, but commonly c. 1/2 the length of the subtending petiole. Umbel of 10–30 flowers on very short to obsolete rays.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals greenish-white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit c. 1·0 × 1·5 mm., broadly ellipsoid, laterally compressed, brownish when ripe; apex and base distinctly emarginate; stylopodium depressed; styles short, spreading; stigmas slightly clavate; lateral ribs not strongly developed.

Morphology General Habit

Delicate creeping perennial herb, rooting at the nodes.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/120121950/120121955

Conservation

LC - least concern

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident