Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Apiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
FAMILY
Araliaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Dune Pennywort at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 140-01-002:
Hydrocotyle bonariensis FAMILY Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
COMMON NAME:
Dune Pennywort, Seaside Pennywort, Dune Water-pennywort, Largeleaf Pennywort
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_hybo_004_lvd
)
Keith Bradley kab_h_bonariensis_6291
January Brevard County FL
Canaveral National Seashore
Leaves peltate, orbicular to suborbicular, crenate, w petioles 7-20(30)cm long, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Keith Bradley kab_h_bonariensis_6299
January Brevard County FL
Canaveral National Seashore
)
JK Marlow jkm0502e_14
February Georgetown County SC
Huntington Beach State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm0502e_18
February Georgetown County SC
Huntington Beach State Park
)
Stephanie C. Brundage scb_061221charleston09
June Charleston County SC
Isle of Palms
)
JK Marlow jkm0309p_22
September Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm0309p_24
September Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
Leaves (1-) 4-15cm wide, the blade characteristically held in a vertical plane, per Weakley's Flora (2025).
)
JK Marlow jkm181110_5691
November Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm181110_5692
November Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
Flowers & fruit (often present at the same time) borne on a compound umbel, per Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001).
)
JK Marlow jkm181110_5693
November Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm181110_5700
November Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm231104_6543
November Horry County SC
Myrtle Beach State Park
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
FAMILY
Araliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 140-01-002:
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
712
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: beaches, dunes, and moist sandy areas, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in Coastal Plain (rare elsewhere)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple - peltate
Alternate
Petioles 7-20(30)cm long
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
White/ Greenish
Radially symmetrical
5-merous
5 petals
Inferior ovary
Flowers in compound umbels
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Schizocarp of two mericarps
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p345
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p491
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p139
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995) p080
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p058
- Wild Flowers of NC, 2nd edition (Justice, Bell, & Lindsey, 2005) p165
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p042
- Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses (Murphy et al., 1992) p192
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".