Centella asiatica

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.

Common Names: Marsh Pennywort

Family: Apiaceae

Habit: Centella asiatica grows as an herbaceous rhizome to 50 cm in height and stems reaching 25 cm in length.  The leaves are arranged alternately in basal cluster, ovate to rounded, with an entire to dentate margin and rounded leaf apex.

The incomplete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in few flowered umbels. There is no calyx. The corolla has 5 unfused reddish white petals. There are 5 unfused stamens.  The inferior ovary has 2 locules each with a single seed.  The fruit is a flattened, brown samara  with ridges throughout.

Habitat: Centella asiatica grows in Fresh Water Wetlands.

Distribution: Centella asiatica occurs on all island groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago as well temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Centella asiatica is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.