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California waterwort

Habit Herbs, submersed or growing on exposed but wet substrates, 1–5 cm.
Stems

decumbent to erect, branched.

Leaves

light green to green, sometimes becoming reddish in terrestrial plants;

stipules lanceolate, 0.5–0.6 mm, margins dentate, apex acute;

petiole 1–4 mm;

blade obovate to oblanceolate, 4–12(–15) × 1.2–3 mm, base narrowly cuneate, apex acute to obtuse.

Pedicels

1.5–2.5(–3.5) mm, recurved in fruit.

Flowers

sepals 4, usually equal, sometimes 1 reduced, oblong-ovate or widely lanceolate, 0.5–0.6 × 0.3–0.4 mm;

petals 4, greenish white, slightly reddish, or pink, elliptic or ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.6 mm;

stamens 8;

styles 4.

Capsules

depressed-ovoid, 4-locular, 1.3–2.5 mm diam.

Seeds

2–5 per locule, oblong to ellipsoid, curved 90–180°, 0.6–1 × 0.2 mm;

pits elliptic, length 1–3 times width, in 6–10 rows, (16–)20–29 per row.

Elatine californica

Phenology Flowering summer.
Habitat Pools, pond shores, rice fields, stream banks.
Elevation 0–1900(–2600) m. (0–6200(–8500) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California)
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Discussion

Elatine californica is distinguished from other species of the genus by having long pedicels that are recurved in fruit and strongly curved seeds that can be nearly circular.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 350.
Parent taxa Elatinaceae > Elatine
Sibling taxa
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. brachysperma, E. chilensis, E. heterandra, E. minima, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
Synonyms E. californica var. williamsii, E. williamsii
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 364. (1878)
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