Common name: Indian penny wort, Brahmi. Tamil name: Vellari, Kacappi
Indian penny wort is a common road-side plant in Western ghats, they thrive in mid-altitude areas. The plant is prostrate and form mats on the floor, the stem and leaf stalks are reddish in color. They root frequently at nodes and spread out to form large “floor mats”. The leafs are arranged in an alternate manner they are small with a round apex and in general have a roundish-kidney shape. The inflorescence is in the form of an umbel (many flowers arising from a single point), the flowers are white or crimson in color. The flower measure around 2-3 mm across and have 5 petals, 5 stamens and 2 styles. The plant is consumed raw as a salad in several countries (when raw taste like carrot). It is used in all traditional medicinal systems across the world- most importantly the root rhizomes are harvested. The plant is often mistaken for Bacopia Monnieri (Brahmi), both are prescribed to improve brain capacity and memory. However in Bacopia Monneri the leaf arrangement is opposite and flowers are white or bluish in color and mostly seen solitary. The leafs of B monneri are oval in shape while that of Indian penny wort in kidney shaped. Bacopia monneri is referred to as the true “Brahmi”.
