Common Name: Frog fruit, Matchweed. Tami Name: Potutalai.
Matchweed is a prostrate plant native to South America. It is often found round low land marshy areas around forest areas in India. The plant creeps on the ground and by rooting on the nodes it spreads itself and forms mats on ground. The simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner, the leaves are sessile and the leaf margin on the upper portion of the leaf is crenate. The leaf is obovate-spoon shaped with a cuneate base an an acute tip. The leaves are thick and have a glossy green color. The leaf length measure around 2.1 cm. The leafing nodes are apart from one another by around 3 cm in length. The inflorescence is an axiliary in the form of a capitula in cylindric shape. The inflorescence stalk measure around 3 cm. The flower measure around 1-2 mm across; the flowers are tubular white in color with a tinge of pink. The throat of the flower has yellowish marking. The fruit is in the form of a drupe of about 2 mm. Matchweed is the larval host plant for Peacock pansy butterfly.
