Heteranthera rotundifolia (Kunth) Griseb.

Roundleaf Mudplantain

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_plant.jpg
STATS

Native
CC = 5
CW = -5
MOC = 29

© SRTurner

Family - Pontederiaceae

Stems - Creeping, with well-separated nodes.

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_stem.jpg Stem.

© SRTurner

Leaf - Dimorphic. Seedling leaves linear. Main season leaves long-petiolate. Blades to 5 cm long, mostly longer than wide, lanceolate to ovate, cordate at base, tips rounded, glabrous.

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_leaf.jpg Leaf.

© SRTurner

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_leaf2.jpg Leaf abaxial.

© SRTurner

Inflorescence - Flowers borne singly on specialized flowering stems to 12 cm long.

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_inflorescence.jpg Inflorescence.

© SRTurner

Flower - Perianth of 6 tepals, zygomorphic, purple to white. Tube to 29 mm long, lobes to 18 mm long. 3 tepals erect, 2 spreading, 1 pendent. Central upper tepal with yellow base. Stamens 3, unequal, with glandular-hairy filaments.

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_flower.jpg Flower.

© SRTurner

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_flower2.jpg Perianth.

© SRTurner

Heteranthera_rotundifolia_flower3.jpg Perianth.

© SRTurner

Flowering - July - October.

Habitat - Open mud, shallow water.

Origin - Native to the U.S.

Other info. - This is one of the larger-flowered members of the genus found in Missouri. It can be identified by its strongly zygomorphic perianths, having three of the tepals erect. The flowers are quite attractive up close.
With proper attention to detail, all of the Missouri representatives of the genus Heteranthera can be identified to species based solely on perianth attributes.

Photographs taken at Otter Slough Conservation Area, Stoddard County, MO, 8-13-2015 (SRTurner).