Gemeiner Wasserstern vs Haken-Wasserstern

Callitriche stagnalis compared with Callitriche hamulata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gemeiner Wasserstern	Haken-Wasserstern
Kingdom same	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Lamiales (Lippenblütlerartige)	Lamiales (Lippenblütlerartige)
Family same	Plantaginaceae	Plantaginaceae
Genus same	Callitriche	Callitriche
Species	Callitriche stagnalis	Callitriche hamulata

Evolutionary Relationship

Gemeiner Wasserstern and Haken-Wasserstern share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Callitriche.

Conservation Status

Gemeiner Wasserstern

LC — Least Concern

Haken-Wasserstern

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gemeiner Wasserstern	Haken-Wasserstern
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gemeiner Wasserstern

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Haken-Wasserstern

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Gemeiner Wasserstern

<em>Callitriche stagnalis</em>, commonly known as Common Water-Starwort, is an aquatic or semi-aquatic plant in the family Plantaginaceae. This species holds a Least Concern conservation status and is broadly distributed across Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, reflecting its wide ecological tolerance. It typically grows in diverse terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including ponds, streams, ditches, and wet meadows, often forming dense mats on the water surface or in shallow, slow-moving water. The leaves of Common Water-Starwort are typically small and arranged in rosettes at the water surface, allowing efficient access to light, while submerged leaves are often narrower and linear. This plant thrives in nutrient-rich, still or slowly flowing freshwater environments and can colonize temporarily flooded habitats. It provides important ecological services as habitat and food for aquatic invertebrates and small vertebrates. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden