Elatine ambigua Wight

Elatine species are annual herbs, aquatic, amphibious or terrestrial, about 2-8 cm long, stem slender, erect or decumbent, succulent-flaccid, glabrous, rooting at nodes. Leaves simple, opposite or verticellate, linear elliptic-oblong to linear spathulate, margin entire, hyaline or denticulate, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous, petiole short or sessile, stipules minute. Inflorescence solitary or in pairs, axillary or terminal. Flowers bisexual, usually trimerous, pedicel short or sessile, sepals 3, free, ovate-oblong, united near the base, margins membranous, apex obtuse, persistent, petals 3, free, pink, white or purple, campanulate or orbicular in terrestrial species, margin entire or membranous. Stamens 1-3, usually as many as petals or 1. Ovary superior, globose, 3 locular, syncarpus, ovules numerous, anatropus, axil placentation, styles 3, stigma 3. Fruit capsule, obovoid-globose, dehiscing septicidally. Seeds numerous, oblong, erect or curved, brown, scalariform or reticulate.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb

Flowering and fruiting: February-

Elatine species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: February.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals.

Annual herbs, about 1.5-3 cm long, amphibious, stem slender, prostrate, terete, soft, succulent-flaccid, much branched radially, glabrous, rooting at nodes. Leaves simple, opposite, linear elliptic-oblong to lanceolate, about 2-5 x 0.5-2 mm across, base narrow, margin entire, apex obtuse or acute, glabrous, veins ending with hyathodes on margins, petiole subsessile, stipules ovate-triangular, apex acute, about 1 mm long. Inflorescence usually solitary axillary in alternate nodes. Flowers bisexual, usually trimerous, pedicel about 1-2 mm long, slightly curved in fruit, sepals 3, free, oblong, base cuneate, united near the base, margins membranous, apex obtuse, persistent, about 0.5-1 mm long, petals 3, free, pink, white, ovate-oblong, margin entire or membranous, about 1.5 x 1 mm across. Stamens 3, alternate to petals. Ovary superior, globose, 3 locular, syncarpus, glabrous, ovules numerous, anatropus, axil placentation, styles 3, stigma 3. Fruit capsule, obovoid-globose, about 1 mm across, faintly 3 lobed, stalk pendulous or slightly curved, dehiscing septicidally. Seeds many, about 4-6 in each locule, oblong, light brown, hexagonal scalariform or reticulate, embryo erect.

Elatine species are susceptible to various insect pests, powdery mildews, root knot by nematodes and moulds.

Notes: Along river banks and paddy fields

Along riverbanks and paddy fields

In moist places in river banks, pond margins and inundated paddy fields.

Not evaluated (IUCN).