Burhead is an annual or short-lived perennial growing in wet places, often partially submerged in water, with several erect leafless stems reaching some 2' in height.  The basal petiolate leaves are coarsely parallel-veined, generally ovate to lanceolate, and up to 6" long with cordate or truncate bases.  The white flowers are in open umbels, and the heads have 3 round petals, 3 green ovate sepals, about 12 stamens and many pistils.  The fruiting head is a spinose bur 1/2" to 3/4" in diameter.  Burhead is a fairly common marsh plant blooming from July to September and ranging from San Diego to central California.  These pictures were taken at Rocky Oaks in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Echinodorus 2) berteroi.
Pronunciation: ek-eye-no-DOR-us BER-ter-oy.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.