SafePlants

Fleaf Mare's-tail (Hippuris tetraphylla)

The Fleaf Mare's-tail, scientifically known as Hippuris tetraphylla, is an aquatic plant found in shallow waters. It belongs to a group of plants commonly referred to as mare's tails.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Hippuris tetraphylla L. f.
• Common Name: Fleaf Mare's-tail
• Family: Plantaginaceae (formerly Hippuridaceae). Some sources still list it under Hippuridaceae (Mare's-Tail Family).
• Order: Lamiales
• Class: Magnoliidae
• Synonym: USDA Symbol: HITE
• Taxonomic Status: Accepted

Distribution and Habitat

• Hippuris tetraphylla is an aquatic plant that thrives in shallow ponds and slow-moving freshwater.
• It has been found in various locations, including Akureyri Botanical Gardens and Labrador (South shore of Adlatok Bay, near Postville).
• The plant can grow in low salinity brackish water on soft bottoms and may be found in arctic regions.

Morphological Characteristics

• Hippuris tetraphylla is an erect and unbranched waterweed.
• It is mostly submerged, with the top portion (around 30cm) towering above the water surface.
• It can grow up to 40 cm tall and form stands.

Ecological Role

• While one entry mentions "invasive species", the text focuses on Fleaf Mare's-tail as being "endangered" and in need of protection within Kornamaa.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• The text notes that Hippuris tetraphylla could be a hybrid (H. x tetraphylla) between common mare's-tail and fleaf mare's-tail.

Further Information

• USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
• National Biological Information
• Project www.environment.fi/finmarinet