Kingdom Plantae Family Alismataceae Scientific name Damasonium californicum Rank Species | Order Alismatales Genus Damasonium Higher classification Damasonium | |
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Similar Damasonium, Alismataceae, Damasonium alisma, Sagittaria isoetiformis, Sagittaria sanfordii | ||
Damasonium californicum is a species of perennial wildflower in the water plantain family which is known by the common name fringed water-plantain, or star water-plantain. This is a plant of wet environments in the western United States from Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, California, Montana, Washington State.
Damasonium californicum 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.