Hydrocotyle digitata A.R.Bean & Henwood

Bean, A.R. & Henwood, M.J. (2003) Austrobaileya 6(3): 543-544. Type: Queensland. Darling Downs District: Turner Creek, 11.9 km N of Dalveen, 26 January 1995, A.R.Bean 8214 (holo: BRI; iso: CANB, HO, MEL, NSW).

Pennywort

Perennial herb with creeping stems rooting at the nodes.

Leaves single at the nodes. Stipules1.2-2 x 1.5-2.5 mm, brown streaked with an entire or fimbriate margin. Petioles 50-130 mm long, with 10-30 retrorse hairs near the apex, sometimes along the petiole, up to 2 mm long, rarely glabrous. Lamina trifoliate, 13-30 mm across, narrowly cuneate, (60-90 degrees of arc), 6.5-15 x 7-15 mm; upper lamina surface bright green, glabrous or with trichomes; lower surface pale green, moderately hairy, with white trichomes. Centra;l leaflet with 2 shallow to deep sinuses, apex 3-lobed, each lobe divided into 3 lobules; lateral leaflets with 19-28 teeth with one deep sinus and the two lobes divided into 3-4 lobules, each2-4 toothed.

Inflorescence simple, umbellate, 10-13 -flowered, peduncles 4-9 mm long, pedicels almost lacking at anthesis, bracts ca. 0.6 mm long. Calyx absent. Petals white or purple, deltate, 0.5-0.7 mm long. Styles 2, each 0.6-0.8 mm long in fruit.

Fruits comprising of 2 laterally compressed mericarps, marginal ribs obscure. Pedicels 0.3-1.5 mm long. Mericarps 0.9-1.2 x 0.6-0.9 mm, surface smooth.

Features not available.

Occurs on the Atherton Tableland in NEQ, and in the Darling Downs District in south-eastern Queensland and south to north-eastern NSW. Altitudinal range from above 500 m. Occurs in moist to swampy areas in Eucalypt woodland.

Not collected in forest habitat, but nearby.