Elatine brachysperma
Short seed waterwort
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Elatinaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Elatine brachysperma (Short seed waterwort) is a native California herb in the Elatinaceae family, recognized by stamen arrangement and seed pit count diagnostic.
Short seed waterwort is a California native perennial found in muddy shores and shallow pools at elevations of 50 to 500 meters. Flowering from April to September, this delicate plant produces tiny white to pale pink flowers in single blooms at each leaf node. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 1 to 5 centimeters tall, occasionally reaching 12 centimeters, it forms low-growing patches in wet habitats. Its leaves are narrow-oblong to ovate with short petioles that are nearly indistinguishable from the blade. The fruit contains three chambers, with seeds that are wide-oblong and slightly curved, featuring 10 to 15 distinctive pits in each row.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; stamen arrangement and seed pit count diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Muddy shores, shallow pools
Elevation: 50-500 m
Outside California: central and southern United States, Mexico
Bloom period
Elatine brachysperma blooms Apr-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Bergia: Elatine is completely smooth; Bergia feels sticky with glandular hairs.; vs Fraxinus: Elatine is a tiny aquatic herb; Fraxinus is a large tree.; vs Berberis: Elatine has thin aquatic leaves; Berberis has stiff spiny leaves on a woody shrub.; vs Vancouveria: Elatine grows in water with simple leaves; Vancouveria is terrestrial with compound leaves.; vs Floerkea: Elatine has opposite leaves; Floerkea has alternate dissected leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Elatine brachysperma native to California?
Yes. Elatine brachysperma is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elatine brachysperma bloom?
Elatine brachysperma blooms Apr-Sep.
What plant family does Elatine brachysperma belong to?
Elatine brachysperma is in the Elatinaceae family, genus Elatine.
What habitat does Elatine brachysperma grow in?
Elatine brachysperma grows in Muddy shores, shallow pools.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.