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Water Starwort

Callitriche spp.

Water starwort is a bay grass with bright green, egg-shaped leaves that float on the surface of the water. It grows in quiet fresh waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Appearance:

• Bright green, oval- or egg-shaped leaves on the upper part of the stem
• Straight leaves on the lower, submerged part of the stem
• Two leaves grow at each joint on the stem

Habitat:

• Grows in quiet, non-tidal fresh waters such as streams, lakes and ditches
• Occasionally found in small, shallow tidal freshwater creeks and rivers
• Egg-shaped leaves float in clusters on the water’s surface

Range:

• Found in tidal and non-tidal fresh waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Predators:

• Ducks feed on the leaves and seeds

Reproduction and Life Cycle:

• Reproduces both sexually and asexually
• Flowers from July-September, forming numerous seeds

Other Facts:

• Provides habitat for fish and aquatic insects
• There are four species of water starwort that grow in North America, but they are so similar that you need a microscope to distinguish them.

Sources and Additional Information:

• Underwater Grasses in Chesapeake Bay & Mid-Atlantic Coastal Waters by Peter W. Bergstrom, Robert F. Murphy, Michael D. Naylor, Ryan C. Davis and Justin T. Reel
• Bay Grass Key: Water Starwort – Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Weed Identification Guide: Water Starwort – Virginia Tech

Places:

• Susquehanna River Water Trail – Lower Section – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Havre de Grace, Maryland
• Potomac River Water Trail – Washington, D.C. to Point Lookout, Maryland