Plant Name
Scientific Name: Mecardonia procumbens
Synonyms: Bacopa procumbens, Mecardonia dianthera, M. peduncularis, M. tenuis, M. vandelloides
Common Name: Baby Jump-up
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual, Perennial
Growth Habit: Herb/Forb
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Riparian. This little wildflower is almost always found in wetlands here, and it typically grows in desert and upland washes and canyons with recent water and at the edge of streams, seeps, and springs.
Flower Color: Yellow
Flowering Season: Spring (late), Summer, Fall (early)
Height: Sprawling to 16 inches (41 cm) wide
Description: The flowers are 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) long, surrounded by 3 green bracts at the base, and tubular in shape with 2 joined upper lobes, 3 lower lobes, and a brown-lined throat. The leaves are light green, fleshy, opposite, toothed, and have pinnate venation. The stems are square.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Scrophulariales
Family: Scrophulariaceae – Figwort family
Genus: Mecardonia Ruiz & Pav. – mecardonia
Species: Mecardonia procumbens (Mill.) Small – baby jump-up
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