Hydrocotyle verticillata
Whorled marsh pennywort
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Family: Araliaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Hydrocotyle verticillata (Whorled marsh pennywort) is a native California herb in the Araliaceae family.
Whorled marsh pennywort is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada, southern Sierra Nevada foothills, Great Valley, Central Western, Southwestern, White and Inyo Mountains, and Desert regions in lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, canals, seeps, springs, and marshes at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to September, this plant produces small white to greenish flowers in whorled spikes up to 15 flowers long. Growing as a creeping plant with slender stems, it spreads horizontally across wet surfaces. Its distinctive round, peltate leaves are 1 to 4 centimeters wide, deeply lobed with 8 to 13 nearly equal crenate margins, creating a delicate, umbrella-like appearance. The tiny fruits are elliptic, 1 to 3 millimeters long with acute ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; key differentiator is whorled flowers in spikes vs umbellate inflorescences
Habitat and range
Habitat: Lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, canals, seeps, springs, marshes
Elevation: < 1400 m
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura, Marin, Tulare, Inyo, Monterey, San Joaquin, Butte, Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, Merced, Madera, San Francisco, Kings, San Luis Obispo, Plumas, San Mateo, Tuolumne, Stanislaus, Fresno, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Imperial, Sacramento
Outside California: to eastern North America, South America, Hawaii, southern Africa
Bloom period
Hydrocotyle verticillata blooms Apr-Sep.
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 verticillata native to California?
Yes. Hydrocotyle verticillata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Hydrocotyle verticillata bloom?
Hydrocotyle verticillata blooms Apr-Sep.
Where in California does Hydrocotyle verticillata grow?
Hydrocotyle verticillata occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura, Marin, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 1400 m.
What plant family does Hydrocotyle verticillata belong to?
Hydrocotyle verticillata is in the Araliaceae family, genus Hydrocotyle.
What habitat does Hydrocotyle verticillata grow in?
Hydrocotyle verticillata grows in Lake margins, ponds, slow-moving streams, canals, seeps, springs, marshes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.