Glossostigma

Scientific name

Glossostigma Wight & Arn.

Common names

mud mat

Family

Phrymaceae

Similar genera

Elatine hydropiper, Lilaeopsis, Limosella, Marsilea

Native distribution

Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa

Species cultivated

Glossostigma diandrum (L.) Kuntze

G. elatinoides (Benth.) Hook.f.

Adventive distribution

Glossostigma cleistanthum and G. diandrum are introduced into the northeastern United States.

Weed status

not generally considered weedy in its native range

Habit

small, amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
, stoloniferous plant, forms dense mats

Brief description

Annual or perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Very small. Stems stoloniferous, creeping, rooted at nodes. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
or occasionally whorledwhorled:
(n) bearing whorls; a type of leaf arrangement (phyllotaxis) in which leaves are in whorls
, sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
or petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
, linear to spatulate; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a minute, solitary flower borne on axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
pedicel; sepalsepal:
(n) a member of the outer envelope of a flower (calyx)
tube bell-shaped, lobes 3-4; petals 5, white to pink or purple. Dispersal by stem fragments or seeds.

Natural habitat

shallow water and wet ground

Additional comments

A genus with six species; only two are cultivated at present. Glossostigma elatinoides has four stamens and a four-lobed calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
, while G. diandrum has two stamens and a three-lobed calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
. Usually used as a foreground plant in aquaria.