ALISMATACEAE

WATER-PLANTAIN FAMILY

Charles E. Turner

Annual, perennial herb from corms, stolons, rhizomes, or tubers, aquatic (± emergent or on mud), generally bisexual; roots fibrous
Stem: caudex short
Leaves: basal, simple, palmately veined, sometimes floating; submersed blades generally linear to ovate; emergent blades linear to sagittate
Inflorescence generally scapose, umbel- to panicle-like; flowers whorled, in interrupted clusters
Flowers bisexual or unisexual, radial; sepals 3, generally green, generally persistent; petals 3, generally > sepals, white or pink; stamens 6–many; pistils 6–many, generally simple
Fruit: achene, generally compressed, beaked
Genera in family: ± 12 genera, 75–100 species: especially n hemisphere
Reference: [Rogers 1983 J Arnold Arbor 64: 383–420]

DAMASONIUM

Perennial; caudex generally corm-like
Leaf: blade linear to ovate, tapered to base or clearly petioled
Inflorescence: peduncle generally smooth
Flower bisexual; receptacle ± flat; sepals generally 3.5–6 mm; petals white or pink; stamens 6; pistils 6–15 in 1 whorl, fused at base
Fruit: body generally spreading, laterally compressed, sides generally opaque, back ± rounded, ribbed; beak = or > body, generally terminal
Species in genus: ± 5 species: North America, Eur, Australia
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name)
Reference: [Vuille 1987 Plant Syst Evol 157:63–71]

Native

D. californicum Benth.

Leaf 5–20 cm; blade 3–9 cm, 0.5–3 cm wide, generally < petiole, linear to narrowly ovate
Inflorescence generally > leaves; pedicels 15–65 mm in fruit, spreading to ascending
Flower: petals 6–10 mm, deeply cut, white to pink, basal spot yellow; anthers reddish; ovule 1 per chamber
Fruit: body 3–5.5 mm; beak 3–6 mm
Ecology: Ponds, vernal pools, streams, ditches
Elevation: < 1700 m.
Bioregional distribution: Inner North Coast Ranges, n Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sacramento Valley, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to Oregon, Idaho, Nevada
Synonyms: Machaerocarpus c. (Benth.) Small
Horticultural information: TRY; DFCLT.