Nelson's waterclover
Marsilea oligospora · Aquatic plants
Up close · Photo: Timothy McNitt / CC BY
Also called Small waterclover, Water clover
How to identify Nelson's waterclover
- Four leaflets like a clover on long stalks
- Spore cases on short stalks, often clustered
- Leaves usually hairy, especially when young
- Creeping rhizome on the mud
Similar plants
Hairy waterclover has spore cases on longer, unbranched stalks; the two are hard to separate and are sometimes combined.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Grows from rhizomes in late spring, peaks in summer as water levels drop, and dies back in fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | About 55 to 60 F water |
| Light | Needs full sun |
| Depth | Wet mud to 1 foot of water |
| How it spreads | Creeping rhizomes and spore cases |
| Habitat | Seasonal ponds, vernal pools and muddy shores in dry interior basins. |
Why it matters in a lake
Uncommon and easily overlooked. Spore cases stay alive for years in dry mud.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Rare
- Oregon: Rare
- Wyoming: Rare
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Polypodiopsida |
| Order | Salviniales |
| Family | Marsileaceae |
| Scientific name | Marsilea oligospora |
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