Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides is a small, perennial flowering plant native to Southeast Asia, though it has since naturalized in various parts of the world, including the United States and Australia. It is a creeping herb that forms dense mats of foliage and is known by the common name lawn marshpennywort or lawn pennywort. 🌿 The plant belongs to the genus Hydrocotyle and the family Araliaceae. It thrives in moist to wet environments, such as along streams and in boggy areas, and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, valleys, and grassy fields. It's also a popular plant in the aquarium trade due to its aesthetic appeal and ability to grow submerged.
Names in Different Countries Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides has various common names depending on the region. In English, it is often called lawn marshpennywort. In other languages, it goes by:
Chinese: 石胡荽 (shí hú suī)
French: hydrocotyle
Japanese: chidome
Sundanese: antanan leutik
Other common names: Crystal confetti pennywort, Kara-kara, Pegaga embun, Tikim, and Ulam gunung.
Terminology
The plant's scientific name, Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, provides insight into its characteristics. The genus name, Hydrocotyle, is derived from Greek words meaning "water cup," which may refer to its preference for wet habitats or the shape of its leaves. The specific epithet, sibthorpioides, honors the English botanist Professor Humphry Sibthorp and his son John. The plant is a dicot, a type of flowering plant with two embryonic leaves. It's a creeping herb, meaning it grows low to the ground and spreads by sending out runners that root at the nodes.
External Look
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides is a delicate, slender plant. Its leaves are its most distinctive feature, being round to kidney-shaped, light green, and shiny. They typically have five to seven shallow lobes with scalloped or toothed edges. The leaves are small, usually ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 cm in width, and are hairless. They grow on thin stalks. The plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers that are a faint yellow or greenish-white with a hint of purple. These tiny flowers are arranged in simple, flat-topped or rounded clusters. The fruit is small, flattened, and turns from green to yellow or brown as it matures.
Availability
The plant is native to tropical and warm-temperate regions of Asia and Africa but is now widespread due to its use in traditional medicine and the aquarium trade. It is often commercially available in nurseries and garden stores, especially for use in aquascaping and bog gardens. It's generally considered to be of "least concern" in terms of conservation status as it grows and spreads readily, sometimes even becoming a weed in lawns and moist areas.
Healing Properties
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides has a long history of use in traditional medicine due to its diverse healing properties. Phytochemical studies have identified various compounds, including asiaticoside and madecasoside, which are known for their medicinal benefits. The plant is traditionally used as an:
Anthelmintic: Helps expel intestinal worms.
Analgesic: Relieves pain.
Diuretic: Increases urine production.
Astringent: Causes the contraction of tissues and helps stop bleeding.
It's also known to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which are beneficial for a range of conditions.
Advantages
The advantages of this plant lie in its wide range of traditional medicinal uses and its easy cultivation. Some of the benefits include:
Anti-inflammatory effects: Studies have shown that extracts of the plant have anti-inflammatory effects, making it useful for treating conditions like rheumatism and topical inflammation.
Antioxidant and anti-tumor potential: The plant's phytochemicals, particularly polyphenols and flavonoids, have shown strong antioxidant activity. Some studies also suggest potential anti-tumor effects.
Cognitive benefits: Research on asiaticoside from the plant indicates it may improve learning and memory, potentially helping with age-related cognitive decline.
Pond and aquarium benefits: In aquatic environments, it provides shade, regulates water temperature, absorbs excess nutrients, and offers a habitat and food source for aquatic life.
Uses
In traditional medicine, the whole plant or its parts are used to treat a variety of ailments:
Digestive and pulmonary issues: It's used for stomachic disorders, digestive troubles, coughs (especially in children), and flu. A decoction of the plant is given for diarrhea and body pain.
Skin and wounds: The juice of the plant is applied to wounds and boils. Leaves are used for various skin diseases and a pounded mixture with Musa balbisiana flowers is applied to ulcers.
Other conditions: It's used for hepatitis, bladder stones, sore throats, fevers, jaundice, and earaches (by dropping juice into the ear). It has also been used traditionally for more serious conditions like syphilis and in Chinese herbal concoctions for muscular dystrophy.
Using Way
The method of use depends on the ailment:
Decoction: The whole plant is boiled to make a decoction, which is consumed for diarrhea, body pain, and fevers.
Juice: The juice is extracted and used topically on wounds and boils, or dropped into the ear for earaches. It's also ingested to kill intestinal worms.
Pounded mixture: The plant is pounded, sometimes with other herbs, to create a poultice for topical application on ulcers and skin ailments.
Potherb: The leaves can be eaten as a potherb, and the juice of shoots can be boiled and used in curries.
Conclusion
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, or lawn marshpennywort, is a versatile and widely distributed plant with significant traditional medicinal value. Its simple, creeping form and distinctive round leaves make it a popular choice for ornamental use in gardens and aquariums. From its use as a remedy for digestive and respiratory issues to its potential anti-inflammatory and cognitive-enhancing properties, this unassuming herb offers a rich array of benefits. The traditional knowledge surrounding its uses, combined with modern phytochemical research, highlights its importance as a natural source of therapeutic compounds.
