Wolffia brasiliensis

Brazilian watermeal

Family: Araceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Brazilian watermeal is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) native perennial found in the Sacramento River Valley and San Francisco Bay bioregions in ponds at elevations below 100 meters. Flowering from late spring to early fall, this tiny aquatic plant produces nearly imperceptible flowers amid its dark green floating body. Growing less than 1.2 millimeters long, it forms a flat, translucent surface with a slight central elevation that allows it to drift above the water. Its minuscule body features 50 to 100 stomates and maintains a round tip, creating a unique compact form that blends seamlessly with pond surfaces. When dried, the plant's body transforms to reveal brown cellular structures, highlighting its delicate and ephemeral nature.

Habitat: Ponds

Bloom period: Late spring-early fall

Elevation: < 100 m

Bioregions: ScV (near Sacramento River), SnFrB

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