Echinodorus berteroi
Burhead
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Family: Alismataceae · Type: Herb · Native
Echinodorus berteroi (Burhead) is a native California herb in the Alismataceae family, recognized by Tropical genus reaching northern limit in California; distinctive fruit structure separates it from other Alismataceae.
Burhead is a California native perennial found in the northern Coast Ranges, Central Valley, central western California, and southwestern California in ponds and ditches at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from mid-summer to fall, this plant produces white flowers with petals 6 to 9 millimeters long, typically 1 to 3 flowers per node. Growing with stems that emerge from the water, it develops both submersed linear leaves and floating emergent leaves 8 to 30 centimeters long, with floating blades 6 to 14 centimeters long and 3 to 15 centimeters wide. Its leaves have distinctive coarse veining, with floating blades ranging from elliptic to heart-shaped. The plant produces a bur-like fruit cluster with a body 1.5 to 3 millimeters long, typically featuring five distinct ribs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Tropical genus reaching northern limit in California; distinctive fruit structure separates it from other Alismataceae
Habitat and range
Habitat: Ponds, ditches
Elevation: < 300 m
California counties: Orange, San Diego, Kern, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Stanislaus, Monterey, Butte, Santa Barbara, Glenn, Yolo, Lake, Imperial, Napa, Colusa, Tulare, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, Marin, Fresno, Nevada, Tehama, Mendocino, Merced, Alameda, San Joaquin, Sutter, San Mateo, Kings
Outside California: to southeastern United States, South America
Bloom period
Echinodorus berteroi blooms Mid summer-fall.
How to tell it apart
vs Alisma: Echinodorus fruits spiral on a dome forming a bur; alisma fruits sit flat in a single ring.; vs Sagittaria: Echinodorus fruit cluster is distinctly spiky/bur-like; arrowhead fruits spiral but aren't bur-like.; vs Ranunculus: Echinodorus has three-petaled flowers and aquatic habit; buttercup has five petals and various habitats.; vs Damasonium: Echinodorus fruits spiral on a dome; damasonium fruits fuse at base forming a flat star.
Frequently asked questions
Is Echinodorus berteroi native to California?
Yes. Echinodorus berteroi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Echinodorus berteroi bloom?
Echinodorus berteroi blooms Mid summer-fall.
Where in California does Echinodorus berteroi grow?
Echinodorus berteroi occurs in Orange, San Diego, Kern, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, Stanislaus and other counties, at elevations of < 300 m.
What plant family does Echinodorus berteroi belong to?
Echinodorus berteroi is in the Alismataceae family, genus Echinodorus.
What habitat does Echinodorus berteroi grow in?
Echinodorus berteroi grows in Ponds, ditches.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.