Houseplants --- what can I grow in a pot this small?

Either a succulent or a pothos. A succulent doesn't require much care and some actually thrive on neglect. A pothos ( http://www.foliageunlimited.net/images/pothos.jpg ) is a fleshy, vining house plant that is propagated very easily. You can actually put a cutting into a bottle of water and it will grow there indefinitely, with the roots just growing in the water. Whatever you get, make sure the pot has a drain hole. Otherwise, you'll have to find a plant in a smaller plastic pot that you can set down into the decorative pot. And, you'll have to water it when it's outside the decorative pot to prevent root rot.

How about a small ivy - that would look cute...but you will have to put it in a bigger pot when it gets bigger. Or a cactus - I think they grow slowly.

plant an iris they are fairly easy to grow and do not need much root space. a pansy will not live long inside. they need direct sunlight and lots of it.