Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Scrophulariaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Spreading, mat-forming, succulent, glabrous herb, sometimes covering an area of a few square meters; stems prostrate, rooting at nodes. Leaves opposite; blades 4-12 x 2-5 mm , oblanceolate or obovate, fleshy, the apex rounded, the base cuneate, the margins entire; petioles 0-1 mm long. Pedicels 5-11 mm long, slender, glabrous; sepals free to base, 5-5.5 mm long, the 3 outer ones ovate, the inner ones linear-oblong; corolla white to mauve, bellshaped, glabrous, 8-9 mm long, the tube ca. 5 mm long, greenish at base within, the lobes 5, rounded, emarginate; the 2 longer stamens nearly exserted, with filaments to 2 mm long, the shorter stamens included, with filaments ca. 0.5 mm long, the anthers 1.2 mm long, oblong; ovary flattened-ovoid, glabrous, the style cylindrical, the stigma capitate, exserted, greenish. Capsule ovoid, ca. 5 mm long, with numerous, nearly oblong seeds.
Distribution and Ecology - An occasional herb of sandy, saline, or seasonally flooded, open areas. Trail to Fortsberg (A4083), Hansen Bay (A3780), Waterlemon Bay (A1935). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; throughout tropical America.