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California waterwort

Chilean waterwort

Habit Herbs, submersed or growing on exposed but wet substrates, 1–5 cm. Herbs, emergent on wet substrates, 0.5–10 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.

usually green, sometimes reddish green;

stipules triangular, 0.5–0.6 mm, margins entire, apex acute;

petiole 1–3 mm;

blade obovate to broadly spatulate, 3–4(–8) × 0.5–2.5 mm, base cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse to slightly emarginate.

Pedicels

1.5–2.5(–3.5) mm, recurved in fruit.

absent.

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, if 2, equal, if 3, 1 smaller, oblong, 0.5 × 0.3 mm;

petals 3, pinkish white to reddish, elliptic to ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm;

stamens 3;

styles 3.

Capsules

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

depressed-ovoid, 3-locular, 1.5–2 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.

23–33 per locule, ellipsoid, straight or curved to 20°, 0.4–0.5 × 0.1–0.2 mm;

pits angular-hexagonal, length 3–5 times width, in 6 rows, 16–25(–35) per row.

Elatine californica

Elatine chilensis

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer.
Habitat Pools, pond shores, rice fields, stream banks. Muddy shores (fresh or tidal), shallow vernal pools, ditches, rice fields.
Elevation 0–1900(–2600) m. (0–6200(–8500) ft.) 0–2800 m. (0–9200 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; Mexico (Baja California)
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from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; OR; WA; South America
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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.)

The distribution of Elatine chilensis has an amphitropical disjunction between western North America and southern South America. The minute seeds of E. chilensis probably have been dispersed between the two regions by birds (S. Carlquist 1983).

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

Source FNA vol. 12, p. 350. FNA vol. 12, p. 352.
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. brachysperma, E. californica, E. heterandra, E. minima, E. ojibwayensis, E. rubella, E. triandra
Synonyms E. californica var. williamsii, E. williamsii E. gracilis
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 364. (1878) Gay: Fl. Chil. 1: 286. (1846)
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