Marsilea oligospora

Nelson's pepperwort

Family: Marsileaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Nelson's pepperwort is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California high-altitude regions, and Modoc Plateau in creek beds, flood basins, and vernal pools at elevations of 1,400 to 2,000 meters. This aquatic plant produces four-part leaves with hairy leaflets, each approximately symmetrical with straight or slightly concave sides and a truncate or convex distal margin. Growing with floating leaves having stalks around 15 centimeters long and other leaves with stalks 3 to 6 centimeters long, it spreads across wet seasonal habitats. Its leaflets are faintly fine-crenate, creating a delicate texture across the plant's surface. The sporangium cases are small, measuring 5 to 6 millimeters long and 3 to 4 millimeters wide, with unbranched stalks.

Habitat: Creek beds, flood basins, vernal pools

Elevation: 1400-2000 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH, n SNH, MP

California counties: Modoc, Sierra, Nevada, Trinity, Plumas, Butte, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama

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