909

Rotala rotundifolia (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Koehne

Family	:	Lythraceae
Local name	:	English- Roundleaf toothcup
Flowering and fruiting period	:	September-March
Distribution	:	South and South East Asia and also in Japan
Distribution in kerala	:	Palakkad, Kasaragode, Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikkode, Wayanad
Habitat	:	Along streams and marshy areas in grasslands
Uses	:	Ideal aquarium plants for beginners. The species is a typical example of a rapidly growing stem plant and responds favorably to frequent and even heavy pruning. This plant can be used as regulator in a newly cycled tank.
Key Botanical Characters:                      Annual or perennial erect herbs up to 15 cm high.Stem usually slightly woody at base, reddish in colour and 4-angled. Leaves simple, opposite, ,oblong-orbicular, sessile, glabrous, 5-nerved.Flowers in terminal spicate racemes,rose coloured.Sepels 4,triangular. Petals4 ,longer than sepals , bright rose.,Stamens4. Capsule sub-globose, seeds semi-elipsoid.