Hydrocotyle umbellata
Manyflower marshpennywort
(c) Brandon Corder, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Brandon Corder · licence
Family: Araliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Hydrocotyle umbellata (Manyflower marshpennywort) is a native California herb in the Araliaceae family.
Manyflower marshpennywort is a California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Foothill, central Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, southwestern California, and southern edge of the Desert Mountains in lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, and marshes at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from March to July, this plant produces tiny white flowers in open umbels with 10 to 60 flowers. Growing as a floating or creeping plant with spreading stems, it develops distinctive round, peltate leaves with 8 to 20 shallow, crenate lobes. Its leaves are particularly notable for their unique shape, with petioles 0.5 to 4.5 centimeters long and blades 1 to 5 centimeters wide that create a distinctive circular form. The small fruits are elliptic, measuring 1 to 2 millimeters long with obtuse ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; key differentiator is open umbel inflorescence with 10-60 flowers vs dense umbels or spikes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, marshes
Elevation: < 1400 m
Outside California: to eastern North America, South America
Bloom period
Hydrocotyle umbellata blooms Mar-Jul.
How to tell it apart
vs Oxalis: Hydrocotyle has round leaves attached at the center; Oxalis has heart-shaped leaflets in threes attached at the edges.; vs Geranium: Hydrocotyle has shield-like leaves attached at the center; Geranium has deeply lobed leaves attached at the edges.; vs Pilea: Hydrocotyle has perfectly round peltate leaves; Pilea has oval to lance-shaped leaves attached at the edge.; vs Claytonia: Hydrocotyle has round leaves attached at blade center; Claytonia has oval to spoon-shaped leaves attached at the edge.; vs Tropaeolum: Hydrocotyle is tiny and creeping; Tropaeolum is larger and trailing with distinctive spurred flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hydrocotyle umbellata native to California?
Yes. Hydrocotyle umbellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hydrocotyle umbellata bloom?
Hydrocotyle umbellata blooms Mar-Jul.
What plant family does Hydrocotyle umbellata belong to?
Hydrocotyle umbellata is in the Araliaceae family, genus Hydrocotyle.
What habitat does Hydrocotyle umbellata grow in?
Hydrocotyle umbellata grows in Lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, marshes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.