Wolffiella lingulata
Mud midget
(c) vinicius_s_domingues, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Araceae · Type: Herb · Native
Wolffiella lingulata (Mud midget) is a native California herb in the Araceae family, recognized by . Clear morphological differences in body shape and budding pouch cell arrangement.
Mud midget is a California native perennial found in coastal regions, interior valleys, northern coastal, Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, central coast, San Francisco Bay area, and southern coastal areas at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering throughout the year, this tiny aquatic plant produces very small, inconspicuous greenish flowers. Growing as a minute floating plant with a distinctive semicircular body that is concave on its upper surface, it forms delicate clusters on water surfaces. Its body is characterized by a unique budding pouch with a track of long cells positioned between the middle and lower edge of its surface. This diminutive aquatic plant represents a remarkable example of miniature plant adaptation in wetland and water environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Clear morphological differences in body shape and budding pouch cell arrangement.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal, interior valleys
Elevation: < 200 m
Outside California: to southeastern United States, South America
Bloom period
Wolffiella lingulata blooms All year.
How to tell it apart
vs Lemna: Wolffiella is rootless and ribbon-shaped; Lemna has 1 root and is rounded.; vs Landoltia: Wolffiella is rootless and ribbon-shaped; Landoltia has 2-7 roots and rounded fronds.; vs Spirodela: Wolffiella is rootless and ribbon-shaped; Spirodela has 7-16 roots and rounded fronds.; vs Wolffia: Wolffiella is flat and ribbon-like; Wolffia is spherical like tiny green caviar.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wolffiella lingulata native to California?
Yes. Wolffiella lingulata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Wolffiella lingulata bloom?
Wolffiella lingulata blooms All year.
What plant family does Wolffiella lingulata belong to?
Wolffiella lingulata is in the Araceae family, genus Wolffiella.
What habitat does Wolffiella lingulata grow in?
Wolffiella lingulata grows in Coastal, interior valleys.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
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.