Elatine

Scientific name

Elatine L.

Common names

waterwort

Family

Elatinaceae

Similar genera

Callitriche, Glossostigma (rarely confused), Hemianthus, Microcarpaea, Rotala

Native distribution

cosmopolitancosmopolitan:
(adj) essentially worldwide in distribution

Species cultivated

Elatine ambigua Wight

E. hydropiper L.

E. gratioloides A. Cunn.

E. macropoda Guss.

E. triandra Schkuhr

Adventive distribution

Elatine ambigua is introduced into Europe and the United States.

E. chilensis Gay [synonym of E. triandra Schkuhr ] and E. hydropiper are introduced into North America.

Weed status

occasionally found in rice fields, but not considered weedy

Habit

submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
or amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
, attached mat-forming stem plantstem plant:
(n) (a term used in the aquarium and pond plant trade) having an elongate stem (as opposed to a compact stem)

Brief description

Annual or perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Stem ascending or creeping, bearing adventitiousadventitious:
(adj) of an organ growing where it is not normally expected, e.g., roots growing from a stem
roots at basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
nodes. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, decussatedecussate:
(adj) arranged along stem in pairs, with each pair at right angles to the pairs above and below
, sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
to oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
to linear, veins terminating at leaf marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
with a small glandgland:
(n) a secreting cell or group of cells on the surface of a plant structure
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
of small, solitary flowers borne on short axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
pedicelspedicel:
(n) the stalk of a single flower in an inflorescence, or of a grass spikelet
. Sepals 3, green; petals 3, pink-white. Dispersal by seed and stem fragments.

Natural habitat

clear waters of lakes, rivers, and streams

Additional comments

A genus of 28 species, with Elatine hyrdropier commonly cultivated for aquaria.