Hydrocotyle bonariensis Lam., Araliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: kurnell curse, large-leaved pennywort, pennywort

French: herbe bol, herbe tam-tam

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plants glabrous, arising from tuberous roots, the stems slender, creeping; leaves on long slender petioles, peltate, orbicular or nearly so, 1.5-5 cm in diameter, very shallowly crenate-lobulate; peduncles longer than the leaves, bearing one or more umbels, these proliferous, many-flowered, the flowers white or yellow; pedicels 2-20 mm long, spreading and often reflexed; fruit transverse-ovate, 1-2 mm long, 2-4 mm broad, with distinct acute ribs; stylopodium depressed" (Lundell, 1966; pp. 49-50).

Habitat/ecology:  Mesic sites; will stand prolonged immersion in fresh water.  "H. bonariensis has the potential to increase in abundance on coastal sand dunes and on the sandy soils on cliff faces, coastal riiparian systems (subsaline wetlands) and lawns" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 167).

Propagation:  Seed, rooting from nodes (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 167).

Native range:  Southeastern US, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, South America (Lundell, 1966; pp. 49-50). Tropical and subtropical Americas and Africa; Madagascar; Mauritius; Reunion; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 167)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 205)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 18) Vouchers cited: A.N. Rodd 1482 (K, NSW), P.S. Green 1919 (A, K), J.D. McComish 54 (K, NSW)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Colonizer of coastal dunes and on sandy soil on cliff faces, along creeks and swamps near the coast, weed of coastal lawns. Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 167)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	cultivated	Topp, J. M. W. (1988) (p. 8)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (pp. 25, 32)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 167)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Hydrocotyle bonariensis, please let us know.