Taxon Report

Brasenia schreberi J.F. Gmel.

watershield

Print Report


©2014 Kirsten Bovee

Taxon Summary

Brasenia schreberi, commonly known as watershield, is a perennial rhizomatous herb (aquatic) in the Cabombaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Marshes and swamps, growing at elevations from 0 to 2200 meters. Brasenia schreberi is ranked 2B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Brasenia schreberi J.F. Gmel.
Common Name:
 watershield
Family: Cabombaceae
Element Code: PDCAB01010
USDA Plants Symbol: BRSC
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb (aquatic)
Blooming Period: Jun-Sep Jun-Sep
Elevation: 0-2200 (0-7220)
General Habitats: Marshes and swamps
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 2B.3
Global Rank: G5
State Rank:
 S3
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: IUCN_LC
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2.3 to 2B.3 on 2013-06-12
  • added to 2.3 on 2010-10-27

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 43
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 6
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 4
   Unknown (U) 32

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Butte (BUT), Calaveras (CAL), El Dorado (ELD), Fresno (FRE), Glenn (GLE), Lake (LAK), Lassen (LAS), Mendocino (MEN), Merced (MER), Nevada (NEV), Plumas (PLU), Sacramento (SAC), San Joaquin (SJQ), Shasta (SHA), Sierra (SIE), Siskiyou (SIS), Sonoma (SON), Sutter (SUT), Tehama (TEH), Trinity (TRI), Tulare (TUL), Tuolumne (TUO)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Annapolis (3812363), Balls Ferry (4012242), Bouldin Island (3812115)*, Bray (4112168), Bruceville (3812134), Buck Rock (3912288), Burbeck (3912344), Cahto Peak (3912365), Calaveritas (3812025), Canyondam (4012121), Chalk Mtn. (4012187), Chester (4012132), Childs Meadows (4012134), Cisco Grove (3912035), Clearlake Highlands (3812286), Clearlake Oaks (3912216), Courtland (3812135), Crescent Mills (4012018), Echo Lake (3812071), Emerald Bay (3812081), Fall River Mills (4112114), Finley Butte (4012137), Florence Lake (3711838), Fort Mountain (3812034), Fredonyer Pass (4012037), Greenville (4012028), Hogback Ridge (4012184), Jamison Ridge (3912362), Kelseyville (3812287), Kern Lake (3611834), Lake Eleanor (3711987), Lakeport (3912218), Laughlin Range (3912333), Laytonville (3912364), Llano Seco (3912158), Longvale (3912354), Meadow Valley (3912181), Merced (3712034), Moonlight Peak (4012027), Mt. Givens (3711931), Mt. Harkness (4012143), Murphys (3812024), Oak Run (4012261), Quincy (3912088), Rail Road Flat (3812035), Red Cinder (4012142), Sanborn Slough (3912138), Sattley (3912054), Stockton West (3712183), Upper Lake (3912228), Westwood East (4012038), Westwood West (4012131), Zenia (4012324)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 4
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
3 7 %
Altered flood/tidal/hydrologic regime 1 2%
Development 1 2%
Non-native plant impacts 1 2%
Road/trail construction/maint. 1 2%

Notes
Many occurrences historical; need field surveys. See Systema Naturae: Per Regna Tria Naturae 2(1):853 (1791) for original description.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Selected References

Proposed Addition to CRPR 2.3, G5 / S2 (2010)
Brasenia schreberi account for potential Species of Conservation Concern evaluation (2021)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 5 November 2025].