Ammannia baccifera

Ammannia baccifera L., Sp. pl. 1:120. 1753 (Syn: (=) Ammannia aegyptiaca Willd.);

ammannia, acrid weed, blistering ammania, monarch redstem, tooth cup • Bengali: বনমরিচ banmarich • Hindi: अगिन बूटी aginbuti, बन मिरिच ban mirich, दादमारी dadmari, जंगली मेंहदी jungli mehendi • Kannada: ಕಾಡುಗಿಡ kaadugida • Konkani: दादमार्या dadmaria • Malayalam: kallur vanchi, nirumelneruppu • Marathi: अगीनबुटी aginbuti, भरजांभूळ bharajambhula, दादमारी dadmari • Nepalese: अम्बार ambar • Punjabi: dadarbooti • Sanskrit: अग्निगार्भ agnigarbha, ब्राह्मसोम brahmasoma, क्षेत्रभूषा kshetrabhusha, क्षेत्रवशिनी kshetravashini, महाश्याम mahasyama, पाषाणभेद pasanabheda • Tamil: கல்லுருவி kal-l-uruvi • Telugu: అగ్నివేండపాకు agnivendapaku;

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Erect annual herbs to 40 cm tall; stem 4-angled or more or less winged. Leaves decussate, sessile, 2-6 x 0.5-0.8 cm, linear to elliptic, base attenuate, apex acute, chartaceous. Cymes dischasial, axillary. Flowers 4 or 5-merous, perigynous; pedicels c. 2 mm long. Calyx tube 1-2 mm long, campanulate; lobes 4, 1-1.5 mm long, triangular. Petals absent. Stamens 4; filaments c. 0.5 mm long. Ovary c. 1 mm in diam., globose, 4-5-locular; ovules many; stigma capitate. Capsule 1.5-2 mm across, globose, exceeding calyx tube. Seeds brownish, concavo-convex.

from India Biodiversity Portal)

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Ammannia baccifera is a tropical species with a range that covers the tropical parts of Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Philippines, etc.), America and Africa. In the Mediterranean region it is present in Egypt and reaches its northwestern distribution limit in Turkey, Israel, and Palestine. It is naturalized in Spain.
It is an annual herbaceous plant (Therophyte) that is found in marshes, swamps, rice fields and water courses at low elevations.

The young leaves are used on a local scale to treat rheumatic pains, fever, etc. (phytotherapy).

Citation:

Rhazi, L.,Rhazi, M. & Flanagan, D. 2014. Ammannia baccifera. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 October 2014.

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Ammannia baccifera from around Tikkar Tal Lake, Morni, Haryana:
Ammannia baccifera L.,  Sp. pl. 1:120. 1753
A common weed in wetlands, photographed from around Tikkar tal lake, Morni Haryana

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– Ammannia-baccifera is also very common in our locality.

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Please help id this small herb:
An uncommon plant Seen in outskirts of Chennai growing in fallow land,
Small plant  under 1 foot height ;
leaves are opposite and somewhat succulent,
individual flowers were 2 to 3 mm. pinkish coral in colour,
sessile ( or sub) along the stem.
Flowering in february

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This is Ammannia baccifera of Lythraceae.
Tamil name: “Neer mel neruppu”

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Does the baccifera also have a variety with greenish flowers?
Its also amazing that while it grows in marshy areas/ dry beds, it does well as an aquarium plant  !!
The Tamil name has is expressive, meaning “fire on water”, referring perhaps to the reddish flowers on a plant growing in the  marshes.

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linear leaf 1 ft herb ID from Hooghly 05-05-12 SK-2:

ID requested : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (4)

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Seems to be Ammannia baccifera:

Link

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Small Plant for ID : Nasik : 03DEC20 : AK-04

Seen on the Gangapur Grasslands, close to the water body. Could be Ammania Species?

3 images.

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06062013 ASP 41 : Attachments (1). 2 posts by 2 authors.

Can you please ID this small plant with red leaves and flowers. Photo was taken in a park in Sri Lanka in Oct 2011

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Ammannia sp.

I guess this should be Ammania baccifera !

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Ammannia aegyptiaca Willd. (not synonym of Ammannia baccifera L.)
https://powo.science.kew.org/names:552648-1#synonyms

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I will wait for those who are familiar with genus Ammannia for study purposes to validate this ID.
I have suggested ID based merely on my thinking.

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I have attempted to make some notes from the internet.

Most of the sites have merged – ssp. aegyptiaca with ssp. baccifera – thus was difficult to find separate descriptions.

Here below I have listed the differences briefly …

Ammannia baccifera ssp. baccifera
cymes peduncled
epicalyx minute
capsule exceeding calyx tubeAmmannia baccifera ssp. aegyptiaca
cymes sessile-subsessile
epicalyx horn-like
capsule included within the calyx

Here below are descriptions cited from two sites …
Ammannia baccifera ssp. baccifera
Kerala Plants
Erect annual herbs to 40 cm tall; stem 4-angled or more or less winged. Leaves simple, decussate, sessile, 2-6 x 0.5-0.8 cm, linear to elliptic, apex acute, base attenuate, chartaceous. Cymes dischasial, axillary. Flowers 4 or 5-merous, perigynous; pedicels c. 2 mm long. Calyx tube 1-2 mm long, campanulate; lobes 4, 1-1.5 mm long, triangular. Petals absent. Stamens 4; filaments c. 0.5 mm long. Ovary 1 mm in diam., globose, 4-5-locular; ovules many; stigma capitate. Capsule 1.5-2 mm across, globose, exceeding calyx tube; seeds brownish, concavo-convex.

The genus Ammannia L. (Lythraceae) in Egypt
Erect or procumbent, branched herbs, up to 40 cm high; leaves narrow oblong-lorate, 3-4 cm length, 0.6-0.8 cm width; leaf base at lower leaves attenuate, at upper leaves obtuse or cuneate; cymes peduncled, lax; flowers pediceled; hypanthium 1-1.5 mm length and width, ribs obscure; epicalyx minute; petals absent; stamens 4, yellow; capsule reddish yellow, 1-1.5 mm diameter, exceeding hypanthium, style length up to 0.5 mm; seeds 0.5 mm, brownish.

Ammannia baccifera ssp. aegyptiaca
Kerala Plants
Annual herbs, often red, erect or ascending, simple or branched, 2-80 cm tall; stems 4-angular or ± winged. Leaves opposite, 0.7-7 x 0.15-1(-1.6) cm, linear to elliptic, narrowed to the apex, narrowed to a cuneate base or obtuse or subcordate. Cymes (1-)3- many-flowered, ± lax to dense; peduncles 1 (-2) mm long; pedicels 1-2.5 mm long; bracteoles linear-lanceolate. Calyx-tube turbinate-campanulate, 1-2 mm long; lobes 4, broadly triangular, 1-1.5 mm long; intermediary appendages absent or very inconspicuous. Petals absent. Stamens 4, as long as the calyx-lobes or shorter. Ovary globose, 0.7-1.2 mm in diameter; style 0.1-0.3 mm long. Capsule globose, 1-2.5 mm in diameter, 1/2-3/4 included within the calyx; seeds brownish, concavo-convex, 0.4 mm in diameter.

The genus Ammannia L. (Lythraceae) in Egypt
Erect, branched herb, stem suffruticose at the base, up to 40 cm high; leaves lorate, 4-6 cm length, 0.6-0.8 mm width, with obtuse-cuneate bases; cymes sessile-subsessile with dense, glomurate flowers; hypanthium 1-1.5 mm length and width, ribs obscure, epicalyx horn-like; petals absent, stamens 4, yellow; capsule reddish yellow, 1.5-2.0 mm diameter included in the hypanthium.

In this posted observation of Ammania baccifera,

I see peduncled cymes; and the leaf base as attenuate-cuneate, compared to ssp. aegyptica which has a sub-cordate base.

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I will wait for those who are familiar with genus Ammannia for the sake of their study, to validate this ID.
I have suggested ID based merely on my thinking.

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