Marsilea macropoda
Marsilea macropoda Engelm. ex A. Braun
(Greek: macro, long, here meaning large, and pous or podium, foot, = large-footed)
Local names: big-foot water-clover, large-foot water clover, large-foot pepperwort, water-clover, golden water-clover
Species generally larger (pinnae, petioles, and sporocarps) than M. mollis and M. vestita, differing as in the key; sporocarps with distal tooth absent or merely a slightly raised area; 2n = 40 (Lesho 1994). Typically in mud, also shallow water; mainly s and c TX n to Tarrant and Wise (e.g., O’Kennon & McLemore 18719, BRIT), e to Harris (SBSC), and w to Brown (J.W. Stanford 2841, 3482, HPC) and Val Verde (Correll 1956; Turner et al. 2003) cos.; AL, AR, FL, LA, and TX, also Mexico. Sporocarps produced nearly year round. Johnson (1993a) noted that “Marsilea macropoda, with its tall, hairy leaves and branched sporocarp stalks, is a striking and distinctive species, worthy of cultivation.” It is sometimes used as an ornamental. Johnson (1993a) also pointed out that “individuals that appear to be hybrids [with M. vestita] have been collected in Blanco, Brazos, and Kleberg counties in Texas.” These apparent hybrids have large hairy leaves but sporocarps with a relatively large distal tooth.