Water plantain is an early colonist of muddy soils, pond edges and roadside ditches. The inflorescence branches repeatedly to produce numerous small white, 3-petaled flowers. Each flower matures into a head of achenes as shown above. Plants previously referred to as Alisma plantago-aquatica L. are now divided into two species (A. triviale Pursh.and A. subcordatum Raf.), distinguished primarily by size of flowers and achenes as follows: