About Baldellia ranunculoides (L.) Parl.
Baldellia ranunculoides (L.) Parl. is an aquatic plant that produces erect flowering stems. These stems grow up to 10 centimetres (4 inches) above the water surface. Each flower stalk carries one or two umbels, with up to five flowers per umbel; it is also common for a stalk to bear only a single flower. Each individual flower measures 10–15 millimetres (0.4–0.6 inches) in diameter and has three petals. When not in bloom, B. ranunculoides can be confused with lesser spearwort, Ranunculus flammula, a species that grows in similar habitats. This species is distributed along the Atlantic and Baltic coasts of western and northern Europe, and along the Mediterranean coasts of southern Europe, Turkey, and North Africa. It was recently discovered at Bristol's Hope barachois, Avalon Peninsula, eastern Newfoundland; this is the only known location for the species in North America. It may have been introduced to this site by a float, as reported in Sarracenia magazine, published by the Newfoundland and Labrador Wildflower Society.
