Pond Water Starwort

Other Common Names: common starwort

(Callitriche stagnalis)

Non-Native

Pond water starwort has long, thin submersed leaves and floating leaves that resemble a four leaf clover. White flowers are held above water.

Description

Pond water starwort stems are thin and round, four to 12 inches long. Leaves are arranged opposite.

Submersed leaves are long, thin, and have one vein in the center. They can grow 15 to 39 hundredths of an inch long.

Floating leaves are oblong, joined together at the stem, and resemble a four-leaf clover. Floating leaves are often approximately a quarter inch long.

Flowers are white and have two bracts that hold them above water.

 

Pond water starwort grows in shallow water, loosely rooted to the bottom. It grows in slow or stagnant waters, and they can be fresh or brackish waters.

Location

Pond water starwort can be found mostly in the northeastern United States plus Washington, Oregon, and northern California. There are a few occurrences recorded across the inland states.

Propagation

pollination, fragments