Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Magnoliids: Piperales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
This species is aggressive and difficult to control, per Weakley's Flora.
Chameleon-plant has heart-shaped leaves with impressed nerves. The flowers stand above the leaves, composed of a dense short spike of stamens and ovaries, subtended by 4 white petal-like bracts. This from Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Houttuynia cordata
COMMON NAME:
Fishmint, Chameleon-plant, Fishleaf
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585282210732
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
Chameleon-plant has heart-shaped leaves with impressed nerves, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585282210732b
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
4 white petal-like bracts subtend flowers composed of a dense short spike of stamens & ovaries, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585328877394
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585338877393
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585362210724
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585375544056
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Houttuynia cordata
4782
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed areas, moist suburban forests, ditches, spread from cultivation, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia
Waif(s)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Ecological Landscape Alliance
- Global Invasive Species Database
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Southern Living
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
Margins entire
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Spikes green, bracts white
Spikes subtended by 4 white petal-like bracts
Petals absent
3 stamens
Ovary semi-inferior
Bisexual
Inflorescence a spike
FRUIT:
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".