Cabomba caroliniana A. Gray. Fanwort. Phen: May-Sep. Hab: Millponds, lakes, slow-moving streams. Dist: MA, NY, and NJ west to OH, s. MI, and MO, south to FL and TX; also native in s. South America (s. Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and n. Argentina). Additionally sporadically introduced elsewhere from aquarium "throw-outs".

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: C. caroliniana var. pulcherrima R.M. Harper, with purplish flowers and vegetative parts (vs. white flowers and green vegetative parts), occurs in the southeastern Coastal Plain; it needs further evaluation. Godfrey & Wooten (1981) imply that the purple pigmentation may be merely an environmental response to warm waters, and is not correlated with morphologic characters.

Synonymy: = AqW, Ar, C, F, Fl2, FNA3, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn, Tx, Va, WH3; = n/a – Tat; > Cabomba caroliniana A.Gray – Fassett (1953); > Cabomba caroliniana A.Gray var. caroliniana – K1, Mo2, Ørgaard (1991); > Cabomba caroliniana A.Gray var. pulcherrima R.M.Harper – K1, Ørgaard (1991); > Cabomba pulcherrima (R.M.Harper) Fassett – Fassett (1953)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
• Great Plains: OBL
• Midwest: OBL
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily: 8