Lindernia nummulariifolia (D.Don) Wettst.

Global description

Lindernia nummulariifolia is a small annual herbaceous plant with variable habit, creeping to erect, which does not exceed 15 cm in height. Its stem is of square section. It is simple or ramified. The leaves are simple and opposite, short petiolate, they have an almost glabrous, rounded lamina with a toothed margin. The flowers are grouped in small numbers into an inflorescence umbel-like, terminal or axillary. The corolla, purple and white, is divided into 2 lips. The fruit is a narrow elongated capsule ending in a point. It contains many seeds of brown color.

General habit

Small annual herbaceous plant, creeping to semi-prostrate or erect, simple or with few branches, which measures 1 to 15 cm in height.

Underground system

The root is a fibrous taproot.

Stem

The stem is erect, subquadrangular in section, with sparse pubescence on the angles.

Leaf

The leaves are simple and opposite. The petiole is short. It is 1 to 2 mm long. The blade is oval wide to suborbicular, broadly corded base, obtuse at end. It is 5 to 25 mm long and 4 to 22 mm wide. The margin is weakly crenated to wavy or has sharp teeth. It is glabrous on the upper surface or has scattered hair on the mibrid. The secondary veins are parallel from the base. The leaves are often tinged with purple on their underside.

Inflorescence

The inflorescence consists of a reduced number of flowers almost arranged in pseudo-umbel. It is in the terminal or axillary position.

Flower

The flowers in the center have a short or no pedicel. They do not open; their fertilization is internal. The other flowers are long pedicellate (pedicel 2 cm); they are sometimes sterile. The calyx is 2 to 3 mm long. It terminates in lanceolate to linear subular lobes, the length of which varies from 1/2 to 2/3 of the total length of the calyx. The corolla is 6 to 8 mm long. It is purple and white or yellow. The upper lip is oval, the lower lip spreads, with 3 lobes. The stamens are four in number. The filaments of the anterior stamens bear a short appendage at the base.

Fruit

The fruit is a closely ellipsoid capsule ending in a point. It is 8 to 12 mm long. It contains many seeds.

Seed

The seed is brown in color.

Worldwide distribution

Lindernia nummulariifolia occurs in tropical Africa, East Africa and Madagascar, Asia (China, Kashmir, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, Thailand, Vietnam) and South America in Brazil.

https://www.gbif.org/species/7841818