Ottelia sp.
(c) Takaaki Hattori, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Takaaki Hattori · licence
Family: Hydrocharitaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Ottelia sp. is a non-native California perennial in the Hydrocharitaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Najas: Ottelia has broad floating leaves on stalks; Najas has only narrow leaves directly on branching stems.; vs Hydrilla: Ottelia's leaves arise from the base on stalks; Hydrilla has whorled leaves attached to long branching stems.; vs Elodea: Ottelia produces floating lily-pad leaves; Elodea has only whorled narrow leaves on stems underwater.; vs Egeria: Ottelia has basal leaves on stalks; Egeria has whorled leaves growing directly on branching stems.; vs Limnobium: Ottelia lacks spongy tissue - flip leaves over and feel for Limnobium's puffy, cushion-like undersides.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ottelia sp. native to California?
No. Ottelia sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Ottelia sp. belong to?
Ottelia sp. is in the Hydrocharitaceae family, genus Ottelia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.