Scientific Name: Althenia patentifolia

Common Name: spreading watermat

Family Classification (Clade): Monocots

Family: Potamogetonaceae

Threatened Species Status: Rare

Permit: It is an offence to collect, disturb, damage or destroy this species unless under permit.

Form Description: Variable herb with horizontal underground stems and flat, narrow-bladed leaves held at right angles to the plant.

Height (m): 0.2 – 0.45

Flowers: Male flowers are usually together in pairs, and female flowers solitary; all flowers are borne in the leaf axils.

Fruit: Achene – dry, leathery, 1.5-2.25mm long, with warty protrusions.

Municipality
Break O’DayDorsetFlindersKing IslandNorthern Midlands
Plant Communities
No data available for this species
Habitat Notes

Coastal lagoons, creeks, inlets and estuaries, and inland brackish lagoons. Historically recorded from King Island, the Midlands, north-east, east coast and south-west, however the only available records are from the south-west, at Moulting Lagoon and New River Lagoon.

General Notes

Semi-aquatic plant.

Propagation Calendar

  • Flowering Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Seed Collecting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Sowing Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
  • Cutting Month
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Propagation Method
Impractical Propagation material is too difficult to collect or conditions for propagation or cultivation are too specialized.

Seed Information

Cutting & Division Information

Easily grown from division or cuttings.