Elatine californica |
Elatine brachysperma |
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California waterwort |
short-seed waterwort |
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Habit | Herbs, submersed or growing on exposed but wet substrates, 1–5 cm. | Herbs, submersed or emersed on wet substrates, 0.5–3(–5) cm. |
Stems | decumbent to erect, branched. |
ascending or prostrate, 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. |
reddish green; stipules lanceolate, 0.5–0.6 mm, margins dentate, apex acute; petiole (0–)1–3 mm; blade narrowly oblong to ovate, 3–8 × 1–3 mm, base cuneate to rounded, apex rounded to obtuse. |
Pedicels | 1.5–2.5(–3.5) mm, recurved in fruit. |
0–0.4 mm, erect. |
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. |
sepals (2–)3, equal, oblong-ovate, 1.1–1.3 × 0.3 mm; petals 3, pinkish, elliptic or ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm; stamens 3; styles 3. |
Capsules | depressed-ovoid, 4-locular, 1.3–2.5 mm diam. |
globose, 3-locular, 1.1–1.7 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. |
(6–)10–15 per locule, oblong, straight or curved to 30°, 0.3–0.5 × 0.1–0.3 mm; pits ± round, length 1–2 times width, in 6(–8) rows, (9–)14–17 per row. |
Elatine californica |
Elatine brachysperma |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer–early fall. |
Habitat | Pools, pond shores, rice fields, stream banks. | Muddy shores, often of ponds or reservoirs. |
Elevation | 0–1900(–2600) m. (0–6200(–8500) ft.) | 0–1500(–2200) m. (0–4900(–7200) ft.) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California)
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AL; AZ; CA; GA; IL; LA; MT; NE; NM; NV; OH; OK; OR; TX; WA; WY; BC; Mexico (Baja California); South America (Argentina)
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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.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 12, p. 350. | FNA vol. 12, p. 353. |
Parent taxa | Elatinaceae > Elatine | Elatinaceae > Elatine |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | E. californica var. williamsii, E. williamsii | Alsinastrum brachyspermum, E. obovata, E. triandra var. brachysperma, E. triandra var. obovata, Potamopitys brachysperma |
Name authority | A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 364. (1878) | A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 363. (1878) |
Web links |
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