Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.

Hygrophila polysperma is a widely cultivated aquarium plant native to South and Southeast Asia, where it grows in marshes, ponds, ditches, and slow-moving waterways in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka (Plants of the World Online, Kew; IUCN Red List;
Shetty & Singh, Flora of India, vol. 2, 1993). It is commonly marketed under trade names such as “Indian swampweed,” “Hygrophila dwarf,” and “Miracle leaf,” reflecting its popularity among aquarists due to its undemanding growth and tolerance of varied conditions (Rataj & Horeman, Aquarium Plants: Identification, Cultivation, 1978). The species’ taxonomic placement within Acanthaceae and its distinction from related taxa are covered in horticultural and floras resources, and Kew’s database confirms its accepted name and distribution (Plants of the World Online, Kew). Given this taxon’s horticultural prominence and the absence of documented traditional uses, no ethnobotanical applications are reported in peer-reviewed literature or reputable herbal compendia.

General Uses Top

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Common products:
- Aquatic ornamental plant; widely cultivated and traded in the aquarium trade as a submerged freshwater species for aquascaping and beginners’ tanks.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- EAsT Asia and SE Asia cultivated ranges; listed as invasive in parts of the United States and Australia. Responsible horticulture relies on propagated material rather than wild harvest and requires buyers to follow local invasive-species regulations.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name	Authority	First published in
Hemiadelphis polysperma	Nees	Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 80 (1832)
Justicia polysperma	Roxb.	Hort. Bengal. 3 (1814), nomen; Fl. Ind., ed. Carey & Wall., i. 120 (1820); Fl.Ind., ed. Carey, i. 119 (1832).
Ruellia uliginosa	Wall.	Numer. List : n.° 2378 (1830)
Hemigraphis tonkinensis	Lindau	Bull. Herb. Boissier 5: 649 (1897)
Hemiadelphis polysperma var. joshiana	Prak.Rao & S.N.Biswas	Indian Forester 94: 657 (1968)
Hygrophila polysperma f. albiflora	Kuntze	Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 490 (1891)
Hygrophila polysperma f. coerulea	Kuntze	Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 490 (1891)

Common names Top

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Filter by language:

Language	Common/alternative name
English	dwarf hygrophila
English	indian swampweed
Bulgarian	индийска водна звезда
German	indischer wasserfreund
Russian	Гигрофила многосеменная
Chinese	小狮子草
Chinese	小獅子草

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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No subspecies added yet.

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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No variety added yet.

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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No subvariety added yet.

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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No forms added yet.

Germination/Propagation Top

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No germination or propagation data was added yet.

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:

- Doubtful data

- Extinct

- Introduced

- Native

Asia-temperate click to expand
- China
  - China South-central
  - China Southeast
- Eastern Asia
  - Taiwan
- Western Asia
  - Afghanistan

Asia-tropical click to expand
- Indian Subcontinent
  - Assam
  - Bangladesh
  - East Himalaya
  - India
  - Nepal
  - Pakistan
  - Sri Lanka
  - West Himalaya
- Indo-China
  - Myanmar
  - Thailand
  - Vietnam
- Malesia
  - Malaya

Europe click to expand
- Middle Europe
  - Poland

Northern America click to expand
- Mexico
  - Mexico Northeast
- South-central U.S.A.
  - Texas
- Southeastern U.S.A.
  - Alabama
  - Florida
  - Mississippi
  - South Carolina
  - Virginia

Links to other databases Top

Suggest others/fix!

Database	ID/link to page
World Flora Online	wfo-0000726843
Florida Plant Atlas	159
Flora of Alabama	232
USDA Plants	HYPO3
Tropicos	100051
KEW	urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:49756-1
The Plant List	kew-2856776
Open Tree Of Life	239718
NCBI Taxonomy	693374
Nature Serve	2.148149
IUCN Red List	168988
IPNI	49756-1
iNaturalist	163904
GBIF	5415355
Freebase	/m/03chsph
EPPO	HYGPO
EOL	596707
USDA GRIN	316380
Wikipedia	Hygrophila_polysperma
CMAUP	NPO5824

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.

Title

Authors

Publication

Released

IDs

Isolation, Identification and Pollution Prevention of Bacteria and Fungi during the Tissue Culture of Dwarf Hygro (Hygrophila polysperma) Explants

Li W, Cao G, Zhu M, Zhang Y, Zhou R, Zhao Z, Guo Y, Yang W, Zheng B, Tan J, Sun Y

Microorganisms

15-Dec-2022

PMCID:	PMC9785981
doi:	10.3390/microorganisms10122476
PMID:	36557729

Genome size and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of field-grown and in vitro regenerated Pluchea lanceolata plants

Mamgain J, Mujib A, Syeed R, Ejaz B, Malik MQ, Bansal Y

J Appl Genet

30-Sep-2022

PMCID:	PMC9522435
doi:	10.1007/s13353-022-00727-7
PMID:	36175751

Ethnomedicinal Use, Phytochemistry, and Other Potential Application of Aquatic and Semiaquatic Medicinal Plants

Arya AK, Durgapal M, Bachheti A, Deepti, Joshi KK, Gonfa YH, Bachheti RK, Husen A

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med

10-Aug-2022

PMCID:	PMC9385301
doi:	10.1155/2022/4931556
PMID:	35990854

Effect of LED Lighting on Physical Environment and Microenvironment on In Vitro Plant Growth and Morphogenesis: The Need to Standardize Lighting Conditions and Their Description

Barceló-Muñoz A, Barceló-Muñoz M, Gago-Calderon A

Plants (Basel)

25-Dec-2021

PMCID:	PMC8747321
doi:	10.3390/plants11010060
PMID:	35009064

Transition From Proto-Kranz-Type Photosynthesis to HCO3– Use Photosynthesis in the Amphibious Plant Hygrophila polysperma

Horiguchi G, Matsumoto K, Nemoto K, Inokuchi M, Hirotsu N

Front Plant Sci

16-Jun-2021

PMCID:	PMC8242947
doi:	10.3389/fpls.2021.675507
PMID:	34220895

Status and consolidated list of threatened medicinal plants of India

Gowthami R, Sharma N, Pandey R, Agrawal A

Genet Resour Crop Evol

25-May-2021

PMCID:	PMC8148398
doi:	10.1007/s10722-021-01199-0
PMID:	34054223

A novel nucleic acid extraction method from aromatic herbs and dried herbal powders using cow skim milk

Verma SK, Biswas N

Sci Rep

13-Jul-2020

PMCID:	PMC7359320
doi:	10.1038/s41598-020-68467-4
PMID:	32661429

The biology and in vitro propagation of the ornamental aquatic plant, Aponogeton ulvaceus

Kam MY, Chai LC, Chin CF

Springerplus

26-Sep-2016

PMCID:	PMC5037101
doi:	10.1186/s40064-016-3041-4
PMID:	27730019

Plant Biotechnology

Khawar KM, Onarici S, Ozel CA, Aasim M, Bakhsh A, Rao AQ

ScientificWorldJournal

10-Oct-2013

PMCID:	PMC3818647
doi:	10.1155/2013/736731
PMID:	24222750

Adventitious Shoot Regeneration from Leaf Explant of Dwarf Hygro (Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anderson)

Karataş M, Aasim M, Çınar A, Dogan M

ScientificWorldJournal

17-Jun-2013

PMCID:	PMC3703325
doi:	10.1155/2013/680425
PMID:	23853539

SPECIES COMPOSITION, DISTRIBUTION, LIFE FORMS AND FOLK NOMENCLATURE OF FOREST AND COMMON LAND PLANTS OF WESTERN CHITWAN, NEPAL

Dangol DR

J Inst Agric Anim Sci

01-Jan-2005

PMCID:	PMC3434227
PMID:	22962539

Chemotaxonomy of the acanthaceae. Iridoids and quaternary amines

Henrik Fischer W. Jensen, Søren Rosendal Jensen, Bent Juhl Nielsen

Elsevier BV

25-Jul-2002

doi:	10.1016/0031-9422(88)87029-8

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.

Name	PubChem ID	Canonical SMILES	MW	Found in	Proof
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoyl derivatives
Capillin	10321	Click to see	168.19	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids
(+)-Epi-alpha-bisabolol	1201551	Click to see CC1=CCC(CC1)C(C)(CCC=C(C)C)O	222.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,4S,6R,10S)-4,12,12-trimethyl-9-methylidene-5-oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane	9991037	Click to see	220.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Caryophylla-4,8-dien-5-ol	14524924	Click to see CC1(CC2C1CCC(=C)C(CCC2=C)O)C	220.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Caryophyllene	5281515	Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C2CC(C2CC1)(C)C	204.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Fgpdtarjoxrwjd-rrfjbimhsa-	11435962	Click to see	220.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Oplopanone	10466745	Click to see CC(C)C1CCC(C2C1C(CC2)C(=O)C)(C)O	238.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids / 5,10-cycloaromadendrane sesquiterpenoids
Spathulenol	92231	Click to see CC1(C2C1C3C(CCC3(C)O)C(=C)CC2)C	220.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Elemane sesquiterpenoids
(1S,2S,3S,6S)-3-ethenyl-3-methyl-6-propan-2-yl-2-prop-1-en-2-ylcyclohexan-1-ol	102012174	Click to see	222.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Eudesmane, isoeudesmane or cycloeudesmane sesquiterpenoids
(1R,2R,4aR,5R,8aS)-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-4a-methyl-8-methylidene-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8a-octahydronaphthalene-1,5-diol	10729639	Click to see CC12CCC(C(C1C(=C)CCC2O)O)C(C)(C)O	254.36	unknown	via CMAUP database
2-[(2R,4aR)-4a,8-dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-naphthalen-2-yl]propan-2-ol	10632752	Click to see CC1=CCCC2(C1=CC(CC2)C(C)(C)O)C	220.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Beta-Eudesmol	91457	Click to see	222.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
Pygmol	14167388	Click to see	256.38	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Germacrane sesquiterpenoids
(1E,7S)-4beta,5alpha-Epoxygermacr-1(10)-en-2beta,6beta-diol	101014201	Click to see CC1=CC(CC2(C(O2)C(C(CC1)C(C)C)O)C)O	254.36	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2E,6E,10S)-3,7-dimethyl-10-propan-2-ylcyclodeca-2,6-dien-1-ol	71608919	Click to see CC1=CCCC(=CC(C(CC1)C(C)C)O)C	222.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2E,6R,10R)-10-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-3-methyl-7-methylidenecyclodec-2-ene-1,6-diol	15479893	Click to see CC1=CC(C(CCC(=C)C(CC1)O)C(C)(C)O)O	254.36	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2E,6S,10R)-10-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-3-methyl-7-methylidenecyclodec-2-ene-1,6-diol	15479892	Click to see	254.36	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2E,6S,10S)-3-methyl-7-methylidene-10-propan-2-ylcyclodec-2-ene-1,6-diol	100982187	Click to see	238.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2R,3S,6E,10S)-6,10-dimethyl-3-propan-2-yl-11-oxabicyclo[8.1.0]undec-6-en-2-ol	14109689	Click to see	238.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,2R,3S,7R,10S)-10-methyl-6-methylidene-3-propan-2-yl-11-oxabicyclo[8.1.0]undecane-2,7-diol	10610977	Click to see	254.36	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1R,4S,5E,7S)-4-methyl-10-methylidene-7-propan-2-ylcyclodec-5-ene-1,4-diol	9991811	Click to see	238.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(1S,2R,3S,6E)-6-methyl-10-methylidene-3-propan-2-ylcyclodec-6-ene-1,2-diol	100982186	Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C(C(C(CC1)C(C)C)O)O	238.37	unknown	via CMAUP database
(4aR,11E,12aR)-2,2,4,4,11-pentamethyl-7-methylidene-4a,5,6,9,10,12a-hexahydrocyclodeca[d][1,3]dioxin-8-one	10732427	Click to see	292.40	unknown	via CMAUP database
(4E,6R,7R)-6-hydroxy-7-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-4-methyl-10-methylidenecyclodec-4-en-1-one	10729506	Click to see	252.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
Germacrene D	5317570	Click to see CC1=CCCC(=C)C=CC(CC1)C(C)C	204.35	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Iridoid O-glycosides
(1R,4aR,7R,7aR)-7-hydroxy-7-methyl-1-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4a,5,6,7a-tetrahydro-1H-cyclopenta[c]pyran-4-carboxylic acid	133556235	Click to see	376.36	unknown	https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)87029-8
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones
tatridin B	14191260	Click to see CC1=CC(C2C(CC(=C)C(CC1)O)OC(=O)C2=C)O	264.32	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Sesquiterpene lactones / Germacranolides and derivatives
(3aR,4S,6E,10E,11aR)-4-hydroxy-6,10-dimethyl-3-methylidene-3a,4,5,8,9,11a-hexahydrocyclodeca[b]furan-2-one	12299961	Click to see CC1=CC2C(C(CC(=CCC1)C)O)C(=C)C(=O)O2	248.32	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
Arnidiol	10478550	Click to see	442.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
Calenduladiol	461835	Click to see	442.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
Dammaradienol	13893946	Click to see	426.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
Dammaradienyl acetate	14137680	Click to see	468.80	unknown	via CMAUP database
Faradiol	9846222	Click to see CC1C2C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC(C2(CC=C1C)C)O)C)C)(C)C)O)C	442.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Cycloartanols and derivatives
Cycloartenol	92110	Click to see CC(CCC=C(C)C)C1CCC2(C1(CCC34C2CCC5C3(C4)CCC(C5(C)C)O)C)C	426.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
(-)-beta-Sitosterol	222284	Click to see	414.70	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Alcohols and polyols / Tertiary alcohols
(4S)-2-Methyl-2,4-pentanediol	5288834	Click to see	118.17	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Ethers / Acetals / Ketals
(2E,5R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-diene	44575221	Click to see CC#CC#CC=C1C=CC2(O1)CC=CO2	198.22	unknown	via CMAUP database
(2Z,5R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-diene	44575223	Click to see	198.22	unknown	via CMAUP database
[(2E,5R,9R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-dien-9-yl] acetate	92269932	Click to see	256.25	unknown	via CMAUP database
[(2E,5S,9R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-dien-9-yl] acetate	92269933	Click to see	256.25	unknown	via CMAUP database
[(2Z,5R,9R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-dien-9-yl] acetate	92973365	Click to see	256.25	unknown	via CMAUP database
[(2Z,5S,9R)-2-hexa-2,4-diynylidene-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.4]nona-3,7-dien-9-yl] acetate	92973366	Click to see	256.25	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives
Dracunculin	5319474	Click to see COC1=C2C(=C3C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O3)OCO2	220.18	unknown	via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Hydroxycoumarins
Isoscopoletin	69894	Click to see	192.17	unknown	via CMAUP database

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Hygrophila polysperma

Table of Contents

Details Top

Ethnobotanical Use Top

General Uses Top

Synonyms Top

Common names Top

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

Forms (abbr. f.) Top

Germination/Propagation Top

Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Links to other databases Top

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

Scientific Literature Top

Phytochemical Profile Top

Gallery Top

Contributors Top

Collections Top