Scientific Family
Saururaceae
Synonyms
Anemia californica, A. intermedia, Anemopsis californica var. calilfornica, A. californica var. subglabra, Houttuynia bolanderi
Other common names
lizard's tail
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
4 to almost 20 inches
Riparian
Yes
Upright perennial, mostly basal leaves; forms colonies that spread by underground stems. Atop the nearly leafless flower stalk, numerous tiny flowers form a dense, fragrant cone-like spike surrounded by 4 to 9 showy, white spoon-shaped petal-like bracts.
Stems simple, leaves mostly basal and oval; flowers terminal on stems above the leaves, cone-shaped, subtended by white petal-like bracts; fruits capsules, split open when mature, found in moist areas.
Habitat
Found in saline or alkaline (chalky or limey) soils in wet or moist places such as streambeds, along springs, in wet meadows, on muddy creek banks, in the shallow water of pond margins, in bogs, marshes and swamps.
Plant Community
Riparian
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
5800
Flower Characteristics
Each tiny flower (floret) lacks sepals and petals and has a 1/4 inch round, white bract beneath it. At the stem tip, about 100 florets form a dense, cone-like spike to 1-1/2 inches long, encircled by 4 to 9 white bracts (sometimes reddish beneath).
Flower color
White, sometimes reddish
Flower shape
Other
Tubular
No
First bloom month
May
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stems are smooth to hairy, nearly leafless, usually having 1 clasping leaf midstem with 1 to 4 smaller upright leaves growing from its axil (between the leaf and the stem). Most leaves are basal, 1-1/2 to 7 inches long, oval with a heart-shaped base.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
Yes
Leaf hairs
Stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is brown, 1/4 inch high and contains 6 to 10 tiny seeds which look like the seeds of a pepper.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Brown
Seed is brown, 1/16 inch long with a crisscross pattern on its surface (reticulate).