About Crassula aquatica (L.) Schönland
Crassula aquatica is a small plant that forms thin mats or small patches when growing on mud and sand. It grows more erect when left exposed to open air for longer stretches of time. The plant’s fleshy tissue ranges in color from greenish-yellow to bright red or purplish. Its tiny, fleshy, pointed leaves are only a few millimeters long. A single flower grows from the intersection of each oppositely arranged leaf pair, on a short stalk. Each flower measures only about two millimeters in both length and width. The fruit it produces is a very small follicle that holds several seeds.
This species is widespread across North America and Eurasia. It is an annual plant that grows in salt marshes, vernal pools, wetlands, and other fresh to brackish water bodies. It is at least partially aquatic, and often grows in areas that remain submerged most of the time. It can also be found along muddy banks, and in the tidally active areas of estuaries.
