General:
Perennial herb from overwintering stem-bases; stems decumbent or ascending, often trailing, 0.2-1.0 m long, glabrous below, glandular-hairy above.
Leaves:
Leaves opposite, egg-shaped-long-pointed with a heart-shaped base and wavy margins, 2-8 cm long, lower leaves short-stalked, upper leaves unstalked; stipules lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence in a 2-parted cluster with leaf-like bracts, the flowers so appearing solitary; petals white, to 12 mm long, deeply 2-cleft; sepals egg-shaped, 7-9 mm long, with membranous margins.
Fruits:
Capsules egg-shaped, up to 1 cm long, drooping; seeds brown, 0.4 mm long, with dense, barbed pimples.
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Alsine aquatica (L.) Britton
Cerastium aquaticum L.
Malachium aquaticum (L.) Fr.
Stellaria aquatica (L.) Scop.