Elatine minima

Herbs, submersed or emersed on wet substrates, 0.2–3(–10) cm. Stems erect or ascending, usually unbranched, sometimes 1–2 branched. Leaves green; stipules lanceolate, 0.2 mm, margins entire, apex rounded; petiole 0–1 mm; blade elliptic to oblanceolate or spatulate, 0.3–5(–11) × 0.7–1.8(–4) mm, base rounded to truncate, apex obtuse-acute. Pedicels 0–0.2 mm, erect. Flowers cleistogamous when submersed; sepals 2, equal, ovate to oblong, 0.5 × 0.3 mm; petals 2, reddish, long-elliptic, elliptic, or ovate, 1–1.5 × 0.5 mm; stamens 2; styles 2. Capsules oblong-ovoid, 2-locular, 0.9–1.5 mm diam. Seeds 4–9 per locule, thickly cylindric to barrel-shaped, straight, 0.4–0.5(–0.7) × 0.2(–0.3) mm; pits elliptic, length 1.2–1.6 times width, in 8–9 rows, (11–)15–20 per row.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Shores (sometimes intertidal) or in water to 2 m deep, sandy substrates mixed with organic debris, abandoned sunfish nests.
Elevation: 0–400 m.

St. Pierre and Miquelon, N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Conn., Del., Ill., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wis.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa