形态特征
母草属的植物是草本,直立、倾卧或匍匐。叶对生,有柄或无,形状多变,常有齿,稀全缘,脉羽:淡或掌状。花常对生、稀单生,生于叶腋之中或在茎枝之顶形成疏总状花序,有时短缩而成假伞形花序,偶有大型圆锥花序者;常具花梗,无小苞片萼具5齿,齿相等或微不等,有深裂、半裂或萼有管而多少单面开裂,其开裂不及一半;花冠紫色、蓝色或白,二唇形,上唇直立、微二裂,下唇较大而伸展,三裂;雄蕊4枚,均有性,也有前方一对退化而无药,其花丝常有齿状、丝状或棍棒状附属物,其花药互相贴合或下方药室顶端有刺尖或距;花柱顶端常膨大,多为二片状。蒴果球形、矩圆形、椭圆形、卵圆形、圆柱形或条形;种子小,多数。
地理分布
模式种
母草属的模式种为Lindernia procumbens(Krock.) Philcox (Anagalloides procumbens Krock.)。
下级分类
组种长果组Sect. Angustifoliae Hara长蒴母草 Lindernia anagallis (Burm. f.) Pennell狭叶母草 Lindernia angustifolia (Benth.) Wettst.短梗母草 Lindernia brevipedunculata Migo泥花草组Sect. Bonnaya (Link et Otto) Philcox泥花草 Lindernia antipoda (L.) Alston刺齿泥花草 Lindernia ciliata (Colsm.) Pennell旱田草 Lindernia ruellioides (Colsm.) Pennell细叶母草 Lindernia tenuifolia (Colsm.) Alston尖果组Sect. Brachycarpae (Benth.) Philcox尖果母草 Lindernia hyssopioides (L.) Haines曲毛组Sect. Cyrtotrichae Tsoong曲毛母草 Lindernia cyrtotricha Tsoong et Ku柔弱组Sect. Delicatulae Tsoong柔弱母草 Lindernia delicatula Tsoong et Ku陌上菜组Sect. Lindernia Kew Bull.陌上菜 Lindernia procumbens (Krock.) Philcox宽叶母草组Sect. Nummularia (Benth.) Philcox宽叶母草 Lindernia nummularifolia (D. Don) Wettst.坚挺组Sect. Pseudo-intermediae Tsoong坚挺母草 Lindernia stricta Tsoong et Ku刺毛组Sect. Setulosae (Yamaz.) Philcox江西母草 Lindernia kiangsiensis Tsoong长序母草 Lindernia macrobotrys Tsoong黄岑母草 Lindernia scutellariiformis Yamaz.刺毛母草 Lindernia setulosa (Maxim.) Tuyama荨麻叶母草 Lindernia urticifolia (Hance) Bonati瑶山母草 Lindernia yaoshanensis Tsoong短果组Sect. Tittmannia (Rchb.) Philcox大叶母草 Lindernia megaphylla Tsoong红骨草 Lindernia montana (Bl.) Koord.细茎母草 Lindernia pusilla (Willd.) Boldingh粘毛母草 Lindernia viscosa (Hornem.) Merr.母草组Sect. Torenioides (Benth.) Pennell母草 Lindernia crustacea (L.) F. Muell网萼母草 Lindernia dictyophora Tsoong et Ku棱萼母草 Lindernia oblonga (Benth.) Merr. et Chen