New York Natural Heritage Program
Tooth-cup
Rotala ramosior (L.) Koehne
Dicots

Habitat [-]
In New York tooth-cup has been found most often along the shorelines and edges of ponds and lakes, as well as those of artificial wetlands including reservoirs and roadside catchment basins. It also will occupy seasonally-wet sites such as wet meadows or agricultural fields, especially where paths or other disturbance provides bare soil substrate. It has been found growing in organic muck as well as in sandy soil (New York Natural Heritage Program 2007). Sandy shores and damp depressions (Fernald 1970). In mud or wet soil (Gleason 1952).

Associated Ecological Communities [-]
  • Coastal plain pond shore
    The gently sloping shore of a coastal plain pond with seasonally and annually fluctuating water levels. Plants growing on the pond shore vary with water levels. In dry years when water levels are low there is often a dense growth of annual sedges, grasses, and herbs. Submerged and floating-leaved aquatic plants, such as fragrant waterlily and pondweeds, may become "stranded" on the exposed shore. In wet years when the water level is high only a few emergents and floating-leaved aquatics may be noticeable. The vegetation of this pond shore community can change dramatically from one year to the next depending on fluctuations in groundwater levels.
  • Cobble shore wet meadow*
    A community that occurs on the cobble shores of lakes and streams where the substrate is moist from seepage or intermittent flooding. These communities are likely to be scoured by floods or winter ice floes, but there is apparently no significant accumulation of pack ice.

    * probable association but not confirmed
  • Marsh headwater stream*
    The aquatic community of a small, marshy perennial brook with a very low gradient, slow flow rate, and cool to warm water that flows through a marsh, fen, or swamp where a stream system originates. These streams usually have clearly distinguished meanders (i.e., high sinuosity) and are in unconfined landscapes.

    * probable association but not confirmed
  • Unpaved road/path
    A sparsely vegetated road or pathway of gravel, bare soil, or bedrock outcrop. These roads or pathways are maintained by regular trampling or scraping of the land surface. The substrate consists of the soil or parent material at the site which may be modified by the addition of local organic material (woodchips, logs, etc.) or sand and gravel. Abandoned railroad beds where tracks have been removed are included here. One characteristic plant is path rush.

Associated Species [-]
  • Nodding Beggar-ticks (Bidens cernua)
  • Devil's Beggartick (Bidens frondosa)
  • Rose Coreopsis (Coreopsis rosea)
  • Straw-colored Flatsedge (Cyperus strigosus)
  • Yellow Spikerushm Green Spikerush (Eleocharis flavescens)
  • Blackfruit Spikerush (Eleocharis melanocarpa)
  • Blunt Spike-rush (Eleocharis obtusa)
  • Three-angle Spikerush (Eleocharis tricostata)
  • Seven-angle Pipewort (Eriocaulon aquaticum)
  • Golden Hedge-hyssop (Gratiola aurea)
  • Canadian St. John's-wort (Hypericum canadense)
  • Common Rush (Juncus effusus)
  • Brown-fruited Rush (Juncus pelocarpus)
  • Yellowseed False Pimpernel (Lindernia dubia)
  • Marsh Seedbox (Ludwigia palustris)
  • Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
  • Green Carpet-weed (Mollugo verticillata)
  • Dock-leaf Smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia)
  • Slender Arrowhead (Sagittaria teres)