Calflora Taxon Report
Brasenia schreberi  J. F. Gmel.
Watershield
Brasenia schreberi is a perennial herb (aquatic) that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
California Rare Plant Rank: 2B.3 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA; common elsewhere).
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~130 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Brasenia
Family: Cabombaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: nymphaeale

Wetlands: Occurs in wetlands

Communities: wetland-riparian

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS + POWO
Alternate Names:
JEF + PLANTSBrasenia peltata
JEFBrasenia purpurea
JEFCabomba peltata
JEFHydropeltis purpurea
Information about Brasenia schreberi from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (BRSC)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Uses: Brasenia is cultivated as a vegetable in China (where it is known as chúncài) and where it is used in Hangzhou in the well-known local speciality "West Lake Water Shield Soup"[15] and in Japan. The mucilage it produces has been found to have anti-algal and anti-bacterial properties that may be useful as a natural weed control.[16] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

Suggested Citation
“Calflora - Taxon Report.” The Calflora Database, a non-profit organization. .

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