Texas bergia

Bergia texana (Hook.) Seub.

Bergia texana, known as Texas bergia, is a flowering plant in the Elatinaceae family. It is native to the Nearctic region, particularly the western and central United States and northern Mexico. This species grows in wetland habitats, including mud and moist soils along riverbanks and pools. It is an annual or perennial herb with branching, glandular, hairy stems up to 30 cm long. The leaves are 2–4 cm long, oval, pointed, and lightly toothed. Flowers appear in inflorescences at stem tips and leaf axils, with five green sepals and five greenish white petals. Some flowers open, while others are cleistogamous. The fruit is an oval capsule with multiple seeds in five chambers.

Description

Bergia texana is found in wetland environments and is adapted to moist conditions. Its stems may grow upright or trail along the ground. The plant produces small flowers, some of which self-pollinate without opening. The species was first described in 1842 and belongs to the genus Bergia. Its habitat includes the edges of rivers and pools, where it thrives in muddy or wet soils.