Damasonium californicum

Damasonium californicum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Alismataceae
Genus:	Damasonium
Species:	D. californicum
Binomial name
Damasonium californicum Torr. ex Benth.
Synonyms
Alisma californicum Micheli Machaerocarpus californicus (Torr. ex Benth.) Small

Damasonium californicum is a species of perennial wildflower in the water plantain family which is known by the common name California damasonium. This is a plant of wet environments in the western United States from California to Idaho. It is a resident of ponds, riversides, and vernal pools. This is a tough-stemmed plant which may live submersed in water or erect on mud or moist soils. It has long, narrow leaves consisting of a thin blade at the end of a long petiole. The inflorescence yields a flower at the end of each of several long peduncles. The flower has three white or pink petals, each with toothed or fringed ends and sometimes a yellow spot at the base. At the center are six short stamens. After the flower withers the fruits develop into flat, beaked achenes, several achenes gathered into a star-shaped bunch.

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• Photo gallery