Amphianthus pusillus, Little amphianthus, Pool sprite, Snorkelwort
Family
Plantaginaceae (plantain family)
Origin
Piedmont of the south-eastern USA: Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
5 cm
Care level
expert
Care
A tiny annual water plant, formerly Amphianthus pusillus, moved to Gratiola after genetic work in 2008. It lives only in seasonal rain pools on granite outcrops in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina, where few other plants apart from quillworts grow. It is just a few centimetres long: a short, thread-like stem with a rosette of tiny submerged leaves and a pair of small floating oval leaves up to 8 mm long. Seeds sprout soon after heavy rain and flower about 17 days later. It is a federally listed threatened species in the USA and rated imperilled, so it must not be collected from the wild, and our sources say nothing about keeping it in aquariums. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratiolaamphiantha); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.
Breeding
Grows from seed, which germinates quickly after rain. Underwater flowers self-pollinate without opening; flowers at the surface are small and white.
Compatibility and tank mates
Not a practical aquarium plant: a short-lived annual of temporary pools, best left to specialist conservation growers.
Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.
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