Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Coastal Water-hyssop - Bacopa monnieri   (L.) Pennell
Members of Plantaginaceae:
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Section 6 » Order Scrophulariales » Family Plantaginaceae
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Author(L.) Pennell
DistributionThroughout the coastal areas, including tidewater counties around the margins of Pamlico Sound, but not around Albemarle Sound.

This is essentially a coastal and lower Coastal Plain species, ranging from southeastern VA south to southern FL and west to TX.
AbundanceUncommon to fairly common along the coast. Less numerous at the upper ends of tidal water in Beaufort, Craven, and maybe Pamlico counties.
HabitatThis Bacopa prefer places with brackish to slightly fresh water more so than the other three in the state, which are essentially found in fresh waters, though near-coastal. It ranges from wet sands or tidal mud of brackish marsh edges, drawdown zones of tidal ponds and impoundments, as well as in openings in swampy maritime forests. The sight, sound, or smell of tidal water is usually present where the species is found.
PhenologyBlooms from April into fall, and fruits shortly after flowering. Most flowering in is midsummer and late summer.
IdentificationThis is the "common" Bacopa in NC, and biologists who spend much time near the coast are familiar with it. Like others in the genus, it is mat-forming, but it has obovate to almost spatulate leaves, opposite, fleshy, and entire on the margins, to about 1/2-inch long but only 1/4-inch wide (near the tip). The broken stem or leaves are not fragrant, unlike with B. carolinaiana. B. monnieri has relatively large flowers for such a small species, with the 4 to mostly 5 petals producing a white to light blue flower about 2/3-inch across, easily spotted from a standing position and not requiring one to get down on hands and knees to see well. Though there are a number of other matted coastal plants, such as the two Sesuvium species, this one has the most attractive and largest white flowers.
Taxonomic CommentsNone

Other Common Name(s)Monnier's Water-hyssop
State RankS3
Global RankG5?
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