Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Magnoliids: Piperales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
This species is aggressive and difficult to control, per Weakley's Flora.
Chameleon-plant has heart-shaped leaves with impressed nerves. The flowers stand above the leaves, composed of a dense short spike of stamens and ovaries, subtended by 4 white petal-like bracts. This from Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Houttuynia cordata
COMMON NAME:
Fishmint, Chameleon-plant, Fishleaf
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585282210732
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
Chameleon-plant has heart-shaped leaves with impressed nerves, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585282210732b
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
4 white petal-like bracts subtend flowers composed of a dense short spike of stamens & ovaries, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585328877394
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585338877393
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585362210724
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
)
Keith Bradley kab_827585375544056
June Lexington County SC
Floodplain
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Houttuynia cordata
FAMILY
Saururaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Houttuynia cordata
4782
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed areas, moist suburban forests, ditches, less commonly (so far) spreading to bottomlands away from points of cultivation, spread from cultivation. This species is aggressive and difficult to control, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia
Waif(s)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Ecological Landscape Alliance
- Global Invasive Species Database
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Southern Living
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
Margins entire
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Spikes green, bracts white
Spikes subtended by 4 white petal-like bracts
Petals absent
3 stamens
Ovary semi-inferior
Bisexual
Inflorescence a spike
FRUIT:
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".