Common Name: Whorled marsh pennywort. Tamil name: Neer- Vallarai.
Whorled marsh pennywort is often planted as an ornamental Tamilnadu. This ornamental value being the unique round shaped dark green leaves. The plant reaches a height of about 10 cm. The plant produces a single leaf per node that arises from the ground. The leaves are round in shape with some mild crenate marking at the margin. The leaf measure around 7 cm across and are dark green in color. The leaf stalk is joined to the leaf in a peltate manner. The inflorescence is in the form of a spike arranged in many whorls. The flowers are very tiny with five petals and measure around 2 mm across. The petals numbering five are ovate in shape. This plant is often confused with H umbellata- however in H umbellate the inflorescence is in the form of a single umbel at top. This plant is also falsely mistaken for Indian Pennywort (Centella asiatica). The leaves of Centella asiatica are kidney shaped, while in the case of Whorled marsh pennywort the leaf shape is round. Whorled marsh pennywort is an ornamental plant sold in plant nurseries all over Tamilnadu.
