Alisma sp.
Water-plantain, Water-Plantain
(c) Samuel A. Schmid, Ph.D., some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Samuel A. Schmid, Ph.D. · licence
Family: Alismataceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Alisma sp. (Water-plantain) is a non-native California perennial in the Alismataceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Echinodorus: Alisma fruits sit flat in a ring; burhead fruits spiral on a dome forming a bur.; vs Sagittaria: Alisma flowers have both male and female parts; arrowhead has separate male and female flowers.; vs Rumex: Alisma has three white petals and aquatic habit; dock has tiny greenish flowers and terrestrial habit.; vs Potamogeton: Alisma has three white petals above water; pondweed has tiny flowers and submerged leaves.; vs Plantago: Alisma has three distinct white petals; plantain has tiny four-part flowers in dense brown spikes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alisma sp. native to California?
No. Alisma sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Alisma sp. belong to?
Alisma sp. is in the Alismataceae family, genus Alisma.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.