Western Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Anemopsis californica (Nutt.) Hook. & Arn.
- Family: Lizard's-tail (Saururaceae)
- Flowering: March-September
- Field Marks: This species has broad leaves that are heart-shaped at the base and an inflorescence up to 3 inches across made conspicuous by the presence of 4-8 white bracts.
- Habitat: Wet meadows, marshes, swamps, along streams, sometimes in alkaline areas.
- Habit: Perennial herb with thick, creeping, aromatic rhizomes.
- Stems: Upright, up to 1 1/2 feet tall, woolly, bearing a terminal group of flowers, one large leaf on the stem, and a few basal leaves.
- Leaves: Basal leaves elliptic to oblong, up to 6 inches long, rounded at the tip, heart-shaped at the base, somewhat hairy, on stalks up to 6 inches long; one stem leaf ovate, pointed at the tip, clasping at the base, with 1-3 smaller leaves in
- Flowers: Few, terminal in spikes, surrounded by 4-8 white, petal-like bracts up to 1 1/2 inches long, the entire structure up to 3 inches across.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 6 or 8.
- Pistils: 3 or 4, free or united at the base, smooth, with the ovary superior.
- Fruits: Capsules cone-like, rusty-colored, with numerous seeds.
- Notes: Despite the absence of sepals and petals, this species has showy, anemone-like flowers because of the conspicuous white bracts.
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