Elatine chilensis A. Gray
Family: Elatinaceae
Chilean Waterwort
[Elatine gracilis Mason]
Elatine chilensis image
Keir Morse  

Plant: Annual, short-lived perennial herb, glabrous; stem decumbent to erect, 0.5-10 cm

Leaves: opposite, ± 4-ranked; blades narrowly oblong to widely elliptic, ± entire, tips rounded tapered to base; petiole < 1/4 blade

INFLORESCENCE: flowers 1(2) per node

Flowers: sepals 2 or, if 3, 1 < others, membranous, very pale green; petals 3, ovate, membranous, pale greenish white; stamens 3, opposite sepals; filaments ± 1/2 X to ± = petals, anthers widely ovoid; styles 3-4

Fruit: Fruit: capsule, ± spheric or depressed-ovoid; chambers 3, each 3-15- seeded; pedicel generally ± 0; Seeds ± visible through fruit wall, 20-40 per chamber, elliptic, ± straight; pits 25-35 per row, wider than long; brown to yellowish brown; surface net-like

Misc: Muddy shores of ponds± 600-1700 m.; ± 600-1700 m.

Elatine chilensis image
Keir Morse  
Elatine chilensis image
© 2012 Keir Morse