Botanical name: Hippuris vulgaris    Family: Plantaginaceae (Isabgol family)
Synonyms: Limnopeuce vulgaris, Hippuris spiralis

Common Mare's Tail is a creeping, perennial herb, found in shallow waters and mud flats. It roots underwater, but most of its leaves are above the water surface. The leaves occur in whorls of 6-12; those above water are 0.5 to 2.5 cm long and up to 3 mm wide, whereas those under water are thinner and limper, and longer than those above water, especially in deeper streams. The stems are solid and unbranched and can be up to 2 ft long. In shallow water they project 20-30 cm out of the water. Whorls of tiny flowers occur in leaf axils all along the emersed part of the stem, with a single flower in each leaf axil. Flowers are petal-less, green to purplish, oval, about 1 mm long, either male with a single purplish stamen, female with a single thread-like style. Common Mare's Tail is widespread in the temperate world. In India it occurs in the Himalayas at altitudes up to 5000 m.

Your name:
Your email:
Your comments
The flower labeled Common Mare's Tail is ...