mudflower
Mudflower is a small, creeping plant that grows along slow-moving streams and rivers and in shallow pools. It can grow in deep shade or in bright sun. Two species of Micranthemum exist in Florida (Wunderlin, 2003). Micranthemum is located throughout the southeastern US, with the exception of the micranthemoides species, which is now extinct in the northeast (Kartesz, 1999).
Both Florida species of Micranthemum are found terrestrially on wet shorelines as well as submersed in shallow waters on the margins of lakes, ponds, swamps, and ditches. These species seem well adapted to growing in areas where the water level fluctuates seasonally; in wetter times, they are submersed, but equally capable of surviving and flourishing on wet soils as waters recede.*
*(M. Frank, personal communication)
The stems are creeping, slender, and typically six to eight inches long. Baby’s-tears leaves are small, light-green and nearly round. The leaves are thin and succulent, and about 1/4 inch in diameter. They are opposite on the stem. Baby’s-tears flowers are very tiny white or purplish, and difficult to find.
