Callitriche heterophylla

Varied leaved water starwort

Family: Plantaginaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Varied leaved water starwort is a California native perennial found in aquatic and riparian habitats, typically growing in scattered or extensive stands in shallow water or moist areas. Flowering time details are not specified, but this unique plant produces delicate white flowers characteristic of water starworts. Growing as a submerged or floating plant, it forms dense mats or scattered rosettes with distinctive leaf variations, including linear-oblong submersed leaves and spoon-shaped floating leaves that are often abruptly narrowed to thin petioles. Its leaves demonstrate remarkable adaptability, changing shape depending on whether the plant is underwater, floating, or growing in terrestrial conditions. When fruiting, the plant develops small subsessile fruits often with minimal or no wing structure.

California counties: Butte, Calaveras, Shasta, Fresno, San Bernardino, Lake, Monterey, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Amador, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Plumas, Inyo, Humboldt, Napa, Madera, Riverside, Tehama, Lassen, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Modoc, Mono, Mendocino, Nevada, Sacramento, Kern, Mariposa

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