Elatine rubella
Southwestern waterwort
(c) Konshau Duman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Konshau Duman · licence
Family: Elatinaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Elatine rubella (Southwestern waterwort) is a native California herb in the Elatinaceae family, recognized by reddish stems, multiple flowers per node, straight seeds.
Southwestern waterwort is a California native perennial found in low-elevation muddy shores, shallow vernal pools, and rice fields at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces delicate white or pink flowers with three petals, small and nestled close to slender stems. Growing prostrate to erect with stems 3 to 6 centimeters tall, often subtly tinted reddish, it spreads close to the ground in wet habitats. Its lance-oblong leaves have blunt or slightly notched tips, with petioles less than a quarter the length of the leaf blade. The tiny fruit contains three chambers, each holding narrow-oblong seeds arranged in compact rows.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; reddish stems, multiple flowers per node, straight seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Muddy shores, shallow vernal pools, rice fields
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: San Diego, Modoc, Fresno, San Bernardino, Lassen, Butte, Tehama, Plumas, Stanislaus, Madera, Tuolumne, Mono, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Nevada, Colusa, Yolo, Sacramento, Humboldt
Outside California: western United States
Bloom period
Elatine rubella blooms Apr-Jul.
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 rubella native to California?
Yes. Elatine rubella is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elatine rubella bloom?
Elatine rubella blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Elatine rubella grow?
Elatine rubella occurs in San Diego, Modoc, Fresno, San Bernardino, Lassen, Butte, Tehama, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Elatine rubella belong to?
Elatine rubella is in the Elatinaceae family, genus Elatine.
What habitat does Elatine rubella grow in?
Elatine rubella grows in Muddy shores, shallow vernal pools, rice fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Elatine sp. — Waterwort
- Elatine ambigua — Asian waterwort
- Elatine brachysperma — Short seed waterwort
- Elatine californica — California waterwort
- Elatine chilensis — Chilean waterwort
- Elatine heterandra — Mosquito waterwort
- Bergia sp. — Waterfire
- Bergia texana — Texas bergia
- Elatinaceae sp. — Waterwort family
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.