Aponogeton distachyos

Cape-pondweed

Family: Aponogetonaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Cape-pondweed is a naturalized perennial found in central-western San Francisco Bay, southern Southern California Coast, and potentially other regions in ponds at elevations below 150 meters. Flowering from February to April, this aquatic plant produces white flowers in distinctive spike-like panicles with two branches emerging from the water. Growing with submerged leaves up to 100 centimeters long, it has narrow-lanceolate to elliptical blades that spread across the water's surface. Its leaves are characterized by long petioles and broad blades measuring 6 to 23 centimeters in length. The flowers develop into curved or straight fruits up to 22 millimeters long, with a small terminal beak about 5 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Ponds

Bloom period: Feb-Apr

Elevation: < 150 m

Bioregions: c-w SnFrB, s SCo, expected elsewhere

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.