Sparganium natans
Small bur-reed
(c) Suzanne Carriere, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Typhaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Sparganium natans (Small bur-reed) is a native California herb in the Typhaceae family, recognized by small size, tiny fruiting heads, and floating habit.
Small bur-reed is a California native perennial found in eastern Klamath Ranges, Cascade Range Highlands, northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Modoc Plateau in shallow water, ponds, marshes, wet meadows, and bogs at elevations of 600 to 2,400 meters. Flowering from June to August, this aquatic plant produces small, inconspicuous white flowers in clustered heads. Growing up to 20 centimeters tall with limp, generally floating stems, it forms delicate aquatic colonies. Its leaves are flat or slightly convex, with narrow blades 1 to 4 millimeters wide that spread softly through shallow water. The plant produces small rounded fruits 2 to 4 millimeters long with a short beak, characteristic of its bur-reed family.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 3 sympatric species; key features are small size, tiny fruiting heads, and floating habit
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shallow water, ponds, marshes, wet meadows, bogs
Elevation: 600-2400 m
California counties: Amador, Madera, Placer, Plumas, El Dorado, Tulare, Lassen, Shasta, Trinity, Tuolumne, Sierra, Modoc, Mariposa
Outside California: to Alaska, eastern North America, circumboreal
Bloom period
Sparganium natans blooms Jun-Aug.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
How to tell it apart
vs Typha: Sparganium has round spiky balls along the stem; Typha has cylindrical brown 'hot dog' spikes.; vs Ruppia: Sparganium has dense spherical flower heads; Ruppia has inconspicuous flowers on thread-like stems.; vs Myriophyllum: Sparganium has undivided ribbon-like leaves; Myriophyllum has feathery, finely-divided leaves.; vs Najas: Sparganium has spherical flower clusters on stems; Najas has tiny flowers hidden in leaf axils.; vs Callitriche: Sparganium has spherical flower heads on tall stems; Callitriche forms small rosettes at water surface.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sparganium natans native to California?
Yes. Sparganium natans is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Sparganium natans bloom?
Sparganium natans blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Sparganium natans grow?
Sparganium natans occurs in Amador, Madera, Placer, Plumas, El Dorado, Tulare, Lassen, Shasta and other counties, at elevations of 600-2400 m.
What plant family does Sparganium natans belong to?
Sparganium natans is in the Typhaceae family, genus Sparganium.
Is Sparganium natans rare or endangered?
Sparganium natans carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Sparganium sp. — Bur-reed
- Sparganium angustifolium — Narrow-leaved bur-reed
- Sparganium emersum — European bur reed
- Sparganium eurycarpum — Broadfruit bur reed
- Sparganium eurycarpum var. eurycarpum — Broadfruit bur reed
- Sparganium eurycarpum var. greenei — Bur reed
- Typha angustifolia — Narrow-leaved cattail
- Typha domingensis — Southern cattail
- Typha latifolia — Broad-leaved cattail
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.