Western Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Callitriche hermaphroditica L.
- Family: Water-starwort (Callitrichaceae)
- Flowering: June-August
- Field Marks: This species differs from the other aquatic water-starworts in having both floating and submersed leaves uniformly linear-lanceolate, with the bases of the leaves not united.
- Habitat: In streams and edges of ponds, usually in shallow water.
- Habit: Perennial aquatic herb with slender rhizomes.
- Stems: Slender, mat-forming, up to 15 inches long, rooting at the nodes, smooth.
- Leaves: Opposite, simple, the submersed and floating leaves uniformly linear-lanceolate, up to 1/2 inch long, up to 1/16 inch wide, pointed or rounded at the tip, smooth, without teeth, the bases not united.
- Flowers: 1-3 in the axils of the leaves, the male and female flowers borne separately but on the same plant.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 1.
- Pistils: Ovary superior; styles 2.
- Fruits: Round in outline, 4-lobed, winged, notched at the tip, up to 1/10 inch long, smooth, with the recurved style persistent.
- Notes: This species, when growing in mats, provides cover for fish.
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