Bolander's quillwort

Isoëtes bolanderi var. parryi Engelmann; I. californica Engelmann; I. pygmaea Engelmann

Plants aquatic, occasionally emergent. Rootstock nearly globose, 2-lobed. Leaves deciduous, bright green, pale brown toward base, spirally arranged, to 20 cm, pliant, abruptly tapering to fine tip. Velum covering less than 1/2 of sporangium. Sporangium wall ± brown-streaked. Megaspores white, 300--500 μm diam., rugulate to tuberculate; girdle obscure. Microspores brown in mass, 20--30 μm, spinulose. 2n = 22.

Spores mature late summer. Alpine or subalpine lakes and ponds; Alta., B.C.; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N. Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Small plants with leaves less than 2.5 cm have been called Isoëtes bolanderi var. pygmaea (Engelmann) Clute.

Isoëtes bolanderi hybridizes with I. echinospora and I. occidentalis.