Common Name

Amphibious Water-milfoil

Family

Haloragaceae

Notes

Perennial forb, to 40cm tall, aquatic or growing in mud. Emergent leaves in whorls of 3-5 or irregularly arranged, 0.5-1.5cm long, linear to narrow cylindrical, to 2mm wide (wider in dissected leaves), entire or dissected. Submerged leaves in whorls of 4 or 5, 1.8-2.5cm long, dissected into 16-27 fine toothed segments. In terrestrial plants all leaves are intermediate between these two forms. Male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers with 4 reddish hooded petals, female flowers small (less than 3mm across) with 0 petals, red or pink stigmas, fading to white, ovaries a deep reddish purple. Flowers solitary at the bases of the leaves.

eFloraSA description:  http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Myriophyllum_simulans

Photo of leaves with male flowers above, female flowers below. Photographer Don Wood, ACT