Distribution: British Columbia south on both sides of the Cascades to California, east to the Atlantic.
Habitat: Shallow ponds and streams.
Flowers: July - August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Wind, water
Aquatic, herbaceous perennials from slender rhizomes, the stems very slender, freely branched, up to 10 dm. long.
Leaves alternate, submersed, narrowly linear, up to 7 cm. long and 0.5-2 mm. broad, 3-nerved, acute, bordered at the base with small, globose glands; stipules 6-15 mm. long, surrounding the stem for half their length.
Flowers perfect, in spikes 3-15 cm. long but with only 1-3 whorls, on very slender peduncles 1.5-4 cm. long; perianth of 4 clawed segments, each with an upturned, oval blade; stamens 4, fused with the claws; pistils 4, sessile.
Achenes obliquely obovoid, about 2 mm. long, not keeled, the stylar beak 0.5 mm. long, slightly recurved.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 127. 1753 (as pusillum).
Potamogeton pusillus L. ssp. pusillus [FNA22]
Potamogeton pusillus L. var. minor (Biv.) Fernald & B.G. Schubert
Potamogeton pusillus L. var. pusillus [JPM]
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Potamogeton pusillus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Potamogeton pusillus checklist entry.
OregonFlora: Potamogeton pusillus information.
E-Flora BC: Potamogeton pusillus atlas page.
CalPhotos: Potamogeton pusillus photos.
USDA Plants: Potamogeton pusillus information.
