Plant ID - not Gotu Kola

[sobriquet]

Here are two photos I've just snapped of a leaf of the plant growing as a virtual ground cover around the fence of some parts of the place I'm staying at. The neighbours were apparently Indian some while back and this is invading from their old cultivated patch.

Could it be gotu kola?

EDIT: Just been to the markets where they were selling gotu kola for $1 per plant. The vascular arcades on the plant I purchased are very different to the one pictured. The one pictured has loops, whereas the plant I have bought has vascular channels that go out to the leaf edge. There is also more "serration" at the edges whereas this one is smooth. I'll post pictures later for comparison if needed.

Edited September 17, 2006 by sobriquet

[transDiMenTional]

Comparison pics would be great. I have seen similar around the place. Does the one u pictured have flowers?

[mescalito]

Check to see if the roots are carrot shaped and have a nibble....it might be wasabi? :drool:

[dqd]

Doesn't Gotu kola have points on the leaves?

I think there's some difference in juvenile and mature leaves? Is there an expert in the house ?

[sobriquet]

Doesn't Gotu kola have points on the leaves?

I think there's some difference in juvenile and mature leaves? Is there an expert in the house ?

I think the vascular channels are too different really and I wouldn't think they'd be remodelled so I don't believe it's gotu kola or Centella asiatica but rather a local native pennywort. I think the Indian neighbours may have been using is as gotu kola though, as some of their adjacent mint has also invaded our yard at times.

I saw some more Centella asiatica at Bunnings yesterday as "Arthtritis Herb" and it looked similar to the one I have bought from the markets. Only difference was that it cost $5 compared to my $1 plant and looked very shabby/sad.

I repotted the $1 plant into a self watering 300x300mm square pot and given it a good dose of fert. Looks like it should go crazy in there. Now that I've mentioned it to a few local friends etc they all want a sprig once it starts to spread!

Especially the lady next door who wants it for her cellulite after gaining some kilos after childbirth (there's some, in my opinion, overstated benefits for this herb)!

[dax]

a easy way to tell if it is gotu cola is that the petiole has a sheathing base

[Andrew]

Looks like a native violet maybe.

[Prophet]

Looks like a native violet maybe.

i agree,

here are a few shots of some wild gotu kola from my backyard

[sobriquet]

Well I finally got around to photographing the $1 Gotu Kola I got at the markets. The plant has put on quite a bit of growth already. I took off 4 or 5 old leaves from the plant the day I got it and gave it some Nitrosol. The leaves have responded dramatically with two runners being sent out over the past few days. Its a quick grower.

It's noticeably different from what I queried was gk.

Edited September 22, 2006 by sobriquet

[Alice]

good call on the self watering pot eNo,

i usually advise against such things but this is one plant that thrives with wet feet. i've heard that some people grow them with the roots submerged with good result.

unless i keep them soaked in summer or they wilt in the heat. luckily its a hardy groundcover and bounces right back when moisture again provided.

[sobriquet]

good call on the self watering pot eNo,

i usually advise against such things but this is one plant that thrives with wet feet. i've heard that some people grow them with the roots submerged with good result.

unless i keep them soaked in summer or they wilt in the heat. luckily its a hardy groundcover and bounces right back when moisture again provided.

When I read a few nights ago that it was a swampy / marshy kind of plant the choice of pot at Big W was automatic.

I just put perlite into the bottom of all my pots now to prevent fungus gnat ingress/egress from that route and use whatever mix I have currently made up. I had some fertigation water rehydrated coir and cactus mix and used that.

[Alice]

I saw some more Centella asiatica at Bunnings yesterday as "Arthtritis Herb" and it looked similar to the one I have bought from the markets. Only difference was that it cost $5 compared to my $1 plant and looked very shabby/sad.

bunnings have quite a few good plants in that "herb berbert's" range. gotu cola, bacopa, sambucus nigra, chamomile, stevia, catmint, catnip, rue, coleus, aloe, angelica, bergamot, comfrey, echinaceae, melissa, lovage, pyrethrum, salvias, st john's wort, various artemisias etc etc etc.

http://www.herbherbert.com/ you should be able to order any of these thru bunnings if they're not already in their nursery.

[occidentalis]

i usually advise against such things but this is one plant that thrives with wet feet. i've heard that some people grow them with the roots submerged with good result.

Yeah it is a wetland plant. Around here they tend to grow at the edge of seasonal wetlands so they are submerged for half the year. I used to grow them in a pond and the roots were submerged all year.

[-bijanto-]

This mistery plant looks more like Dichondra spp rather than the native violet.

Try Dichondra micrantha (Kidney Weed).

[Andrew]

I think it is native violet because its identical ,from that photo,to

the native violet that is growing all around the edges of my backyard.

I looked at dichondra photos but the leaves are grey and its a desert

plant where as the native likes more water and shade.It will

be easy to tell when it flowers.Wish I had a digital camera.

[shanti]

I agree with bijanto on Dichondra sp. I am 99% sure it is dichondra repens.

Shanti.

[wandjina]

I reckons it's native violet too...V.hederacea

[occidentalis]

I'm sitting on the fence. But a size comparison would help - dichondra leaves are much smaller than native violet. Can you enlighten us sobriquet?

[-bijanto-]

Here are more pictures so you can see. The upmost pics are the mystery plant (brightened), whereas the bottom left and bottom right pics are Viola hederacea and Dichondra repens.

Viola hederacea leaf-margin is rugged, it lacks the notch shape at the leaf tip, and look at the different vein pattern. Dichondra repens leaf-margin is smooth, it has the notch shape at the leaf tip, and the same vein pattern.

Another thing too look at, is the flowers. D. repens has small, white to yellow flowers.

So what do you think it is...? I think it's pretty clear.

[occidentalis]

Ok you've convinced me. Dichondra it is.

[sobriquet]

The leaf in the picture was about 4-5 cm diameter. About the maximal size they get in the yard here. Most of them are much smaller.

I'm convinced it is a Dichondra species also.

Nice work -bijanto-