Saururus cernuus Linnaeus. Lizard's-tail, Water-dragon. Phen: (Dec-) May-Sep; Aug-Nov. Hab: Swamps, overwash pools in stream floodplains, freshwater and oligohaline tidal marshes, semi-permanently inundated rocky bars and shores, beaver ponds, ditches, usually where water ponds seasonally or periodically. In swamps of the Coastal Plain, Saururus often is dominant in large patches. Dist: CT, s. QC, s. ON, and MI south to s. FL and e. TX.

ID notes:The elongate inflorescence, drooping at the tip (when in flower; straightening in fruit), is distinctive, attractive, and the fanciful inspiration for the genus name, the specific epithet, and the common names.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Other Comments: Thien et al. (1994) studied the reproductive biology of Saururus cernuus, and found that pollination was both by wind and by insects.

Synonymy: = AqW, Ar, C, F, Fl2, FNA3, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mi, NcTx, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV

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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: 5