Umbilicus rupestris
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| Navelwort | ||||||||||||||
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| Umbilicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy |
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Umbilicus gaditanus |
Umbilicus rupestris (Navelwort, Penny-pies, Wall Pennywort) is a fleshy, perennial, edible flowering plant in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae (in the genus Umbilicus) so named for its penny- or navel-shaped leaves.
Wall pennywort grows to an average of 25 cm (10 in) high. The palid spikes of bell-shaped, greenish-pink flowers of this plant first appear in May, and the green fruits ripen through the summer.
Both the name "navelwort" and the scientific name "Umbilicus" come from the round shape of the leaves, which have a navel-like depression in the center. The plant is found in southern and western Europe, often growing on shady walls or in damp rock crevices that are sparse in other plant growth (thus, "wall" pennywort), where its succulent leaves develop in rosettes.
The plant is sometimes employed to ease pain on scratches by applying the leaf to the skin after removing the lower cuticle.
