Red waterwort
Elatine rubella · Aquatic plants
A stand of it · Photo: Steve Matson / CC BY
Also called Southwestern waterwort
How to identify Red waterwort
- Tiny, opposite narrow leaves often tinged red
- Small pinkish flowers in the leaf bases
- Low, creeping or upright stems
Similar plants
Waterwort has broader oval leaves, and water starwort lacks the reddish color.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Annual that sprouts in late spring or as water drops, flowers through summer and dies in fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | About 55 to 60 F water or warm exposed mud |
| Light | Needs shallow water or exposed mud |
| Depth | Moist mud to 2 feet |
| How it spreads | Seeds |
| Habitat | Muddy shores, seasonal pools and drawdown zones. |
Why it matters in a lake
A small annual of fluctuating water levels. Seeds persist in the mud for years.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Rare
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Malpighiales |
| Family | Elatinaceae |
| Scientific name | Elatine rubella |
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Slender naiadNeed a hand?
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