Monilophytes (ferns): Leptosporangiate Ferns (true ferns): Salviniales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Marsilea quadrifolia
FAMILY
Marsileaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read about Water Shamrock at the Connecticut Botanical Society's website.
Learn more about Marsilea from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Marsilea quadrifolia
FAMILY
Marsileaceae
COMMON NAME:
European Waterclover, European Pepperwort, European Water Shamrock
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_maqu_001_lvd
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Marsilea quadrifolia
FAMILY
Marsileaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Marsilea quadrifolia
FAMILY
Marsileaceae
3839
Fern/Fern ally; Emergent aquatic (rooted)
Perennial
Non-native: Europe
Documented growing wild in GA NC -
Rare
Look for it in shallow water of artificial impoundment, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Forest Health Assessment & Applied Sciences Team: New Invaders of the Southeast
LEAVES:
Leaves deciduous in temperate regions
Each leaf (frond) palmately divided into 4 leaflets, resembling a 4-leaf clover
FRUIT:
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!