# Narrow-fruited Water-starwort (*Callitriche palustris*) Narrow-fruited Water-starwort is a small plant that grows in wet areas like ponds and marshes. It has thin, narrow leaves and tiny flowers that are often hidden among the water. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Narrow-fruited Water-starwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/CallitrichePalustrisAgg.jpg&width=800) Photo: Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CallitrichePalustrisAgg.jpg) ## Appearance The Narrow-fruited Water-starwort has delicate, bright green, opposite leaves that can be slender and submerged or form floating rosettes. Its stems may appear reddish, especially near the water's surface. The flowers are extremely tiny and greenish, making them almost invisible amongst the foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Plantaginaceae - **Genus:** Callitriche ## Interesting facts - It can grow completely underwater or float on the surface, choosing its favorite spot! - Its tiny, almost invisible flowers are pollinated by both wind and even the water itself! - This plant helps clean water by absorbing extra nutrients, keeping it healthy for fish! - You might find its seeds stuck to ducks' feet, getting a free ride to new ponds! ## Special abilities - **Shape-Shifting Leaves:** Narrow-fruited Water-starwort has different leaf shapes for submerged or floating growth, helping it adapt to changing water levels. - **Watery Travelers:** Its tiny seeds can float, hitching rides on water currents or animal fur to spread to new locations. - **Oxygen Factory:** This plant can release oxygen into the water, creating tiny bubbles that help other aquatic life breathe. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-50 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.05-0.1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Water ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Mallard duck (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Mallards graze on its leaves and seeds. - **Shelter:** Three-spined stickleback (*Gasterosteus aculeatus*) — Tiny fish hide among its dense underwater stems. - **Eats:** Great Pond Snail (*Lymnaea stagnalis*) — Pond snails munch on its soft green foliage. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always be careful near water and don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Narrow-fruited Water-starwort? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Narrow-fruited Water-starwort? 5-30 cm ### How wide does Narrow-fruited Water-starwort spread? 10-50 cm ### How big are the flowers on Narrow-fruited Water-starwort? 0.05-0.1 cm ### When does Narrow-fruited Water-starwort bloom? Spring to fall ### Is Narrow-fruited Water-starwort edible? No ### Is Narrow-fruited Water-starwort toxic? None ### What is Narrow-fruited Water-starwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Narrow-fruited Water-starwort Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/narrow-fruited-water-starwort)