ELATINE ALSINASTRUM

Family and Genus:- See- ELATINACEAE

Common Names:- Waterwort

Homotypic Synonyms:- Alsine alsinastrum, Elatine verticillata, Elatinella

alsinastrum, Potamopitys alsinastrum, Rhizium verticillatum.

Meaning:- Elatine (Gr) Little-conifer. A name used by the Greek physician and

botanist Dioscorides.

Alsinastrum (L) Resembling Alsine, chickweed-like.

General description:- Low to short hairy, semi-aquatic annual.

Stem:-

1) To 2-80 cm.

Leaves:-

1) Whorled, heterophyllous.

2) Aquatic state, linear, up to 18 in a whorl.

3) Terrestrial state, lanceolate to ovate, as few as 3 in a whorl.

Flowers:-

1) Sessile.

2) Sepals, 4, ovate, acute.

3) Petals, 4, ovate, longer than the sepals.

4) Stamens, 8.

5) Carpels, 4.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, depressed above.

2) Seeds, almost straight.

Key features:-

1) Leaves in whorls of 3-18.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- In mud and vernal pools, shallow lakes and in coastal wetland. 0-1150 m.

Distribution:- Widespread, but very scattered in much of Europe and eastwards to

C Asia. Rare on Crete currently known from only two locations in the west.

Flowering time:- Mainly May-June, occasionally later.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis