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Photographer: Emmet J. Judziewicz
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Family Callitrichaceae
Callitriche palustris L.
common water-starwort, vernal water-starwort
Callitriche: from the Greek calos, "beautiful," and trichos, "hair," because of the beautiful stems
palustris: "of marshes"
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| Status: | Native |
| Plant: | annual, submersed aquatic with tips of the shoots floating or forming mats in mud, less than 9" long; stems fine; roots shallow |
| Flower: | 2-parted, minute, in the leaf axils |
| Fruit: | longer-than-wide capsule with narrow wings and shallow grooves |
| Leaf: | opposite, denser toward the tip of the stem, ribbon-like, pale green, smooth edges; when on the water surface, they form a rosette of spatulate leaves up to 1/4" wide |
| Habitat: | springs, quiet water; in muddy, sandy soil |
| Notes: | differing from C. heterophylla mainly in the fruit shape and edges |
| (Glossary) |
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