Water-starwort: Callitriche heterophylla
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Weed Description:
Annual aquatic weeds that are primarily submersed but have some
floating and emersed leaves. These weeds
primarily occur where there is little to no movement of water as in ditches, swamps,
streams, and lakes. All parts of these plants
are eaten by ducks.
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Leaves: Submersed leaves are linear in outline and
approximately 6 mm wide and ½ to 1 inch long. The
submersed leaves are much different from either the floating or emersed leaves. Floating and emersed leaves are either crowded
in a rosette-type growth habit or arranged oppositely from one another. Floating and emersed leaves are approximately ¼
to ½ inch long. |
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Fruit:
Heart-shaped, approximately 1 mm wide, and splitting into 4 nutlets with maturity. |
| Flowers: Occur
in the areas between the leaves and the stem (leaf axils).
Flowers are very small and inconspicuous, with no sepals or petals. |
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Identifying Characteristics: Annual aquatic weed that can occur with three
different leaf forms: submersed, floating, and emersed.
The opposite, floating leaves of this plant may resemble some other small
aquatic weeds like Creeping Primrose (Ludwigia
palustris), but the lack of evident flowers on water-starwort helps to
distinguish this plant from almost all other aquatic weeds. |