Landoltia punctata

Dotted duckmeat

Family: Araceae · Type: perennial · Native

Dotted duckmeat is a California native aquatic perennial found in northern coastal, northern high Sierra, Central Valley, central coastal, San Francisco Bay, and southern coastal regions in still water valleys at elevations below 2,050 meters. Flowering during summer and early fall, this unique plant produces small green flowers in two lateral budding pouches. Growing as a reduced floating aquatic with multiple roots passing through minute scales, it forms small green to dark green bodies 3 to 5 millimeters long that are oblong to obovate and asymmetric. Its plant body features 3 to 7 veins, with a shiny dark green upper surface often marked by a row of minute bumps and a distinctive red-purple lower surface. Young plants are characterized by tiny scale-like leaves at their base, creating a delicate and intricate aquatic profile.

Habitat: Still water in valleys

Bloom period: Summer-early fall

Elevation: < 2050 m

Bioregions: NCo, CaRH, GV, CCo, SnFrB, SCo

California counties: Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Butte, Tehama, Madera, Alameda, Humboldt, Yolo, Monterey

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