Common Name: Frogfruit

General Information

Phyla nodiflora is a low-growing, herbaceous, perennial plant that creeps along the ground, forming roots as it spreads, and often forming large mats or colonies[].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local domestic medicinal use. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental plant and ground cover in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world[].
The plant spreads rapidly by means of running stems and can carpet large areas, which can be a blessing or a pain depending on the circumstance![].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Widely spread from the warmer regions of the temperate zone to the tropical zone all around the world

Habitat

Near the coast in Australia[]. A common weed in the warmer areas of China, where it grows along stream banks and in grassy places; at elevations from 300 - 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any well-drained soil in a sunny position[]. Prefers a moderately fertile soil, but succeeds in soils of low fertility[]. Prefers ample moisture according to one report[], whilst another says that, once established, it is drought tolerant[]. When grown in shade the plant makes a lot of vegetative growth but does not flower well[].
This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it can be grown outdoors as a half-hardy annual in this country[]. Plants tolerate temperatures down to at least -7°c in Australian gardens[] though this cannot be translated directly to British gardens due to our cooler summers and longer colder and wetter winters.

Edible Uses

Leaves[, ]. No more details are given.

The fresh leaves are used as a tea substitute[]. A grassy flavour, it is nothing special[].

Medicinal

The plant is anodyne, antibacterial, astringent, carminative, deobstruent, diuretic, emmenagogue, emollient, febrifuge, parasiticide and refrigerant[]. It is said to be useful in the treatment of blenorrhoea, lithiasis, ischuria, constipation and pain in the knees[]. It is used in the treatment of hookworm[]. An infusion is drunk as a post-partum tonic[]. The juice of the plant is cooling and is used to relieve minor gastric troubles, fevers, coughs and colds[, ]. The aroma of the inhaled plant is breathed in to treat coughs and colds[].
A poultice of the fresh plant is applied to ripen boils[]. A paste or poultice is also applied to swollen cervical glands, to erysipelas, burns, and to chronic indolent ulcers[].

The juice of the root is used in the treatment of gastric troubles[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A good ground cover for dry sunny banks[], this plant has been used as a grass substitute for lawns in tropical areas. It withstands walking and trampling well, though it would probably not tolerate heavy traffic[, , ]. It can be used to control water and wind erosion[].
Locally, the plant is an important nectar source for honeybees[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a greenhouse in the middle of spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring or early summer.
If trying to grow this plant as a perennial do not plant them out the first spring but grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring.