Dichondra repens
Encyclopedia
Dichondra repens is a small prostrate herbaceous plant native to New Zealand
and many parts of Australia
. It is commonly known as Kidney Weed in Australia
and as Mercury Bay weed in New Zealand
. Often occurring in forest, woodlands and grasslands, it also inhabits suburban lawns. The plant has a creeping habit, with roots forming at the nodes.
The leaves are kidney shaped, and measure 0.5 to 2.5 cm (0.2-1 in) long. The tiny yellowish green flowers form mostly in summer, but can appear at any time of the year. The fruit is a hairy two lobed capsule.
Originally described by botanists Johann Reinhold Forster
and Georg Forster
, its specific epithet is the Latin
adjective repens "creeping".
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and many parts of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is commonly known as Kidney Weed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and as Mercury Bay weed in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Often occurring in forest, woodlands and grasslands, it also inhabits suburban lawns. The plant has a creeping habit, with roots forming at the nodes.
The leaves are kidney shaped, and measure 0.5 to 2.5 cm (0.2-1 in) long. The tiny yellowish green flowers form mostly in summer, but can appear at any time of the year. The fruit is a hairy two lobed capsule.
Originally described by botanists Johann Reinhold Forster
Johann Reinhold Forster
Johann Reinhold Forster was a German Lutheran pastor and naturalist of partial Scottish descent who made contributions to the early ornithology of Europe and North America...
and Georg Forster
Georg Forster
Johann Georg Adam Forster was a German naturalist, ethnologist, travel writer, journalist, and revolutionary. At an early age, he accompanied his father on several scientific expeditions, including James Cook's second voyage to the Pacific...
, its specific epithet is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
adjective repens "creeping".