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Chilean waterwort

short-seed waterwort

Habit Herbs, emergent on wet substrates, 0.5–10 cm. Herbs, submersed or emersed on wet substrates, 0.5–3(–5) cm.
Stems

ascending or prostrate, branched.

ascending or prostrate, branched.

Leaves

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.

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

absent.

0–0.4 mm, erect.

Flowers

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.

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, 3-locular, 1.5–2 mm diam.

globose, 3-locular, 1.1–1.7 mm diam.

Seeds

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.

(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 chilensis

Elatine brachysperma

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Muddy shores (fresh or tidal), shallow vernal pools, ditches, rice fields. Muddy shores, often of ponds or reservoirs.
Elevation 0–2800 m. (0–9200 ft.) 0–1500(–2200) m. (0–4900(–7200) ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NM; NV; OR; WA; South America
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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)
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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. 352. FNA vol. 12, p. 353.
Parent taxa Elatinaceae > Elatine Elatinaceae > Elatine
Sibling taxa
E. ambigua, E. americana, E. brachysperma, E. californica, 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. gracilis Alsinastrum brachyspermum, E. obovata, E. triandra var. brachysperma, E. triandra var. obovata, Potamopitys brachysperma
Name authority Gay: Fl. Chil. 1: 286. (1846) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 13: 361, 363. (1878)
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