Elatine californica
California waterwort
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Elatinaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Elatine californica (California waterwort) is a native California herb in the Elatinaceae family, recognized by unique 4-parted flower structure.
California waterwort is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges (Snow Mountain), Central Valley, and San Francisco Bay Area in pools, ponds, rice fields, and streambanks at elevations of 50 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces small white to pale pink flowers with four petals that are wider than the sepals. Growing with decumbent to erect stems just 1 to 5 centimeters tall, it forms delicate low-spreading clusters. Its oblong leaves are tapered at the base, with leaf stalks approximately half the length of the leaf blade. The distinctive fruit has four chambers, with recurved seed-bearing structures that create a unique architectural pattern.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; unique 4-parted flower structure
Habitat and range
Habitat: Pools, ponds, rice fields, streambanks
Elevation: 50-1900 m
California counties: Madera, Riverside, Lassen, San Bernardino, San Diego, Contra Costa, Orange, Los Angeles, Merced, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Fresno, Modoc, Butte, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, Plumas, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Sierra, Lake, Stanislaus, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Kern, Monterey, Yolo
Outside California: to Washington, Baja California
Bloom period
Elatine californica blooms Mar-Aug.
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 californica native to California?
Yes. Elatine californica is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elatine californica bloom?
Elatine californica blooms Mar-Aug.
Where in California does Elatine californica grow?
Elatine californica occurs in Madera, Riverside, Lassen, San Bernardino, San Diego, Contra Costa, Orange, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of 50-1900 m.
What plant family does Elatine californica belong to?
Elatine californica is in the Elatinaceae family, genus Elatine.
What habitat does Elatine californica grow in?
Elatine californica grows in Pools, ponds, rice fields, streambanks.
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.