Gratiola amphiantha
Pool-sprite (snorkelwort)
Aside from the very specific common name of snorkelwort, this tiny plant requires a very specific set of circumstances to even exist–and those ingredients are increasingly hard to come by. Firstly, the plant needs vernal (spring) pools on granite outcroppings. These are essentially shallow puddles that appear with spring rains and snow melts, remaining for a few weeks before drying up until the next year.
In addition to collecting water, the dents and divots need to have a thin layer of soil and nutrients for the seeds to take root. But the water can’t be too deep or the seedlings won’t get enough sunlight or be able to send leaves up to the water surface. It’s entire annual life cycle is about a month, meaning conditions have to be just right during its lifespan. Some years, it may lie dormant if water is scarce. It’s a miniature Goldilocks Zone for this disappearing plant.
It is considered an “aquatic annual herb” with leaves about a quarter of an inch. The flowers might be white or yellow, and are even smaller at about a tenth of an inch. Seedlings will begin to grow in winter, a chilly but not frozen environment in the southeast. Blossoms could be seen as soon as February and March, and all visible traces of the plant are gone by May.
The Georgia DNR has included snorkelwort in its 2025 Statewide Action Plan (SWAP) and lists it as imperiled, calling it both state and federally threatened. In Georgia, there are about 50 known populations, including in the upper reaches of ORK’s watershed. Their environment is rare enough in the most pristine conditions. The delicate balance is easily tipped by the effects of mining and quarrying (common in areas with the granite it requires). Hikers can also unwittingly disturb their dried beds, not to mention the introduction of any elements like litter or vehicle oils that will upset the chemical needs of the vernal pools.
