Bacopa
Encyclopedia
Bacopa is a genus of 70 - 100 aquatic plant
s belonging to the family Plantaginaceae
. It is commonly known as Waterhyssop (or Water Hyssop, though this is more misleading as Bacopa is not very closely related to hyssop
but simply has a somewhat similar habitus
).
or perennial
, decumbent or erect stemmed plants. The leaves
are opposite or whorled, sessile
. Leaf
blade regular, round to linear, venation palmate or pinnate. Stems
hairy or smooth. The flowers are produced solitary or in pairs from leaf axil, usually radially symmetrical, sepals 5, petals 5, usually white, blue or purple in color. Dispersal and propagation is by seeds
and stem fragments. Crushed leaves have a distinctive 'lemon' scent.
. A few are regarded as weeds and excess stock should not be dumped in warmer regions. Most grow in moist amphibious conditions, though some like B. myriophylloides seem to be wholly aquatic
.
syn. Herpestis monniera, is important in Ayurvedic medicine
and has been used, particularly in India, for several thousand years.
s and around and in ponds in warmer climes. Most are easy to grow and are slow-growing, but require medium to high amounts of light. Most are easy to grow and will tolerate a wide range of water conditions. B. caroliniana at least will tolerate brackish water. Plants are usually best planted in groups in the middle to background. Algal
infestation can be a problem in brighter lighting condition
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
s belonging to the family Plantaginaceae
Plantaginaceae
Plantaginaceae Juss. or plantain family, are a family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales. The type genus is Plantago L..In older classifications it used to be the only family of the order Plantaginales, but numerous phylogenetic studies, summarized by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, have...
. It is commonly known as Waterhyssop (or Water Hyssop, though this is more misleading as Bacopa is not very closely related to hyssop
Hyssop
Hyssop is a genus of about 10-12 species of herbaceous or semi-woody plants in the family Lamiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to central Asia. They are aromatic, with erect branched stems up to 60 cm long covered with fine hairs at the tips. The leaves are narrow oblong, 2–5 cm...
but simply has a somewhat similar habitus
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
).
Description
They are annualAnnual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
or perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
, decumbent or erect stemmed plants. The leaves
Leaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
are opposite or whorled, sessile
Sessility (botany)
In botany, sessility is a characteristic of plants whose flowers or leaves are borne directly from the stem or peduncle, and thus lack a petiole or pedicel...
. Leaf
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
blade regular, round to linear, venation palmate or pinnate. Stems
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
hairy or smooth. The flowers are produced solitary or in pairs from leaf axil, usually radially symmetrical, sepals 5, petals 5, usually white, blue or purple in color. Dispersal and propagation is by seeds
SEEDS
SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India....
and stem fragments. Crushed leaves have a distinctive 'lemon' scent.
Habitat and range
Bacopa species are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, particularly the AmericasAmericas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. A few are regarded as weeds and excess stock should not be dumped in warmer regions. Most grow in moist amphibious conditions, though some like B. myriophylloides seem to be wholly aquatic
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
.
Uses
B. monnieriBacopa monnieri
Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb whose habitat includes wetlands and muddy shores...
syn. Herpestis monniera, is important in Ayurvedic medicine
Ayurveda
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to India and a form of alternative medicine. In Sanskrit, words , meaning "longevity", and , meaning "knowledge" or "science". The earliest literature on Indian medical practice appeared during the Vedic period in India,...
and has been used, particularly in India, for several thousand years.
Cultivation
Some of these species are commonly used in freshwater aquariumAquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
s and around and in ponds in warmer climes. Most are easy to grow and are slow-growing, but require medium to high amounts of light. Most are easy to grow and will tolerate a wide range of water conditions. B. caroliniana at least will tolerate brackish water. Plants are usually best planted in groups in the middle to background. Algal
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
infestation can be a problem in brighter lighting condition
Selected species
|
Bacopa monnieri Bacopa monnieri is a perennial, creeping herb whose habitat includes wetlands and muddy shores... (L.) Pennell – water hyssop, moneywort, herb of grace Bacopa rotundifolia Bacopa rotundifolia is a species of water hyssop known as the disk water hyssop or round-leafed water hyssop, due to the shape of its leaves. This is an aquatic plant native to water bodies of the central United States and well-known in other areas as an invasive weed of waterways. The round leaves... (Michx. André Michaux André Michaux was a French botanist and explorer.-Biography:Michaux was born in Satory, now part of Versailles, Yvelines. After the death of his wife within a year of their marriage he took up the study of botany and was a student of Bernard de Jussieu... ) Wettst. Richard Wettstein Richard Wettstein was an Austrian botanist.Wettstein introduced the phylogenetic system into botany. He was a Professor at the University of Prague from 1892, and at the University of Vienna from 1899. He newly laid out the Botanical Garden of the University of Vienna.- Notes :... – disc waterhyssop |
Formerly placed here
- Mecardonia procumbens (Mill.) Small (as B. procumbens (Mill.) Greenm.)
See also
- Sutera 'Cabana', a plant also known by the obsolete name Bacopa 'Cabana'.