19 



ROUND-LEAVED WATER HYSSOP 

 ( Bacopa rotundif olia ) 



CLASSIFICATION 



1. FAMILY: Scrophulariaceae ; Figwort Family 



2. GENUS: Bacopa is a genus of ca. 60 species, most of which 

 are in tropical or warm-temperate regions, especially in the 

 New World. 



3. SPECIES: The species epithet refers to the rounded leaf 

 shape (L. rotund - round; L. folia - leaf) . 



PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: none 



b. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: Proposed watch (1993) 



2. STATE: The state rank is SI (critically imperiled) based on 

 three records (one historic) . 



C. 



DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Round-leaved water-hyssop 

 is a perennial amphibious wetland plant, 1-4 dm (4-16 in) , 

 floating in shallow water or sprawling on mud and rooting at 

 the nodes. Its fleshy stems float. Its round leaves are 

 opposite, sessile, 1-3 cm (.4-1.2 in) long, and palmately- 

 nerved. It has fibrous roots, and it roots at the leaf 

 axils under drawdown conditions. The axillary flowers are 

 solitary, on a pedicel 0.5-2 cm (.2-. 8 in) long. The 5- 



Figure 5. Roundleaf water-hyssop 

 ( Bacopa rotundifolia ) illustration 



Bocopo rotundifolia 



