Lilaeopsis

Scientific name

Lilaeopsis Greene

Common names

grasswort, water chives, microsword

Family

Apiaceae

Similar genera

Glossostigma, Helanthium, Limosella, Littorella, Ranalisma, Sagittaria

Native distribution

America, Australia, New Zealand

Species cultivated

Lilaeopsis brasiliensis (Glaz.) Affolter

L. carolinensis J.M. Coult. & Rose

L. macloviana (Gand.) A.W. Hill

L. mauritiana G. Petersen & Affolter

L. novae-zelandiae A.W. Hill

Adventive distribution

Lilaeopsis attenuata and L. carolinensis are introduced in Portugal.

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
or emersedemersed:
see emergent
stoloniferous plant with septateseptate:
(adj) divided or partitioned by cross-walls
foliage

Brief description

Perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
, small. Stems creeping, stoloniferous, bearing leaves and roots at each node. Leaves elongate, linear to lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, septateseptate:
(adj) divided or partitioned by cross-walls
, entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
an axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
umbelumbel:
(n) a flat to convex inflorescence in which the flower pedicels (called rays) all arise from the same point
of few to several minute flowers. Sepals 5, small; petals 5, white or red. Dispersal by stem fragments and seeds.

Natural habitat

shallow waters and wet ground

Additional comments

Grass-like plants with characteristic inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
and septateseptate:
(adj) divided or partitioned by cross-walls
foliage. Lilaeopsis often grows in short dense mats in shallow water along shore lines of lakes and in swamps.