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California waterwort

short-seed waterwort

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
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AZ; CA; GA; IL; LA; MT; NE; NM; NV; OH; OK; OR; TX; WA; WY; BC; Mexico (Baja California); South America (Argentina)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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. FNA vol. 12, p. 353.
Parent taxa Elatinaceae > Elatine Elatinaceae > Elatine
Sibling taxa
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. brachysperma, E. chilensis, E. heterandra, E. minima, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. californica, E. chilensis, E. heterandra, E. minima, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
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)
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