Family: Moraceae
Common name: Linderniaceae
Fringed Lindernia plants are very commonly seen in the wild, but often unnoticed since they are really small. Their tiny, toothed leaves and even smaller pink flowers really need close scrutiny to be noticed. These plants grow on roadsides, grasslands, open areas, and even in elevated areas.
The plant only grows to a height of 8-12 cm and is mostly seen in tropical countries with high humidity. The plants are erect with well-branched stems that sometimes grow horizontal to the ground, producing roots where the nodes touch the ground.
Leaves are light green, opposite, and sessile with no stalk to attach them to the stems. Fringed Lindernia leaves grow to a length of 2-3 cm with beautiful serrations along the edges.
Flowers grow in racemes with 1 of 2 flowers open in a raceme at a time. They are light pink and white in color with small, lobed petals, 2-3 lobes along the lower end, and 1-2 along the upper end. These plants also produce small seed capsules that contain triangular seeds.
These plants are very sturdy, growing in areas with very high moisture. They can survive floods and partial submerging in water for short periods of time.
Fringed Lindernia plants prefer moist, sandy, well-drained soil and bright sunlight. They have some medicinal uses in the treatment of period irregularities. Though they grow very commonly in cultivated areas, they are not invasive and hence not considered a threat to crops.
Propagation is through seeds or stem cuttings.
