Centella asiatica

Centella asiatica (L.)                          

Family     :  Apiaceae/umbelliferae

Common Name :മുത്തുൾ(Mal)

                                Indian Pennywort(Eng)

 ब्राह्मी (Hin)                       

     IUCN status         :  Least concern (LC) -

Indian Pennywort is a small creeping herb with shovel shaped leaves emerging alternately in clusters at the stem nodes. The runners lie along the ground and the inch long leaves with their scalloped edges rise above on long reddish petioles. The insignificant greenish- to pinkish-white flowers are borne in dense umbels (clusters in which all the flower stalks arise from the same point) on separate stems in the summer. The seeds are pumpkin-shaped nutlets 0.1-0.2 in long

Prostrate herbs, rooting at nodes. Leaves simple, alternate, orbicular-reniform, 3-5 cm across, crenate or sub-entire, glabrous, nerves radiating; petiole to 12 cm long, sheathing at base. Flowers sessile, pink, in 2-5 flowered umbels; peduncles 1-2 cm long, axillary. Calyx tube 1 mm long, adnate to the ovary, lobes minute. Petals 4, 1 mm long, oblong, recurved at apex, pink to purple. Stamens 5, filaments erect. Ovary 2-celled, cell 1-ovuled, style erect, bilobed at apex. Fruit ovoid, 3-4 mm long, reticulate-rugose, 7-9-ribbed.