Gratiola amphiantha

Granite Pool Sprite is a native herbaceous annual in the Plantain family (PLANTAGINACEAE). It is known from 4 counties in central east Alabama near the Georgia state line. Granite Pool Sprite occurs in shallow vernal pools with thin soils in full sun on granite outcrops and flat rocks. The pools must be deep enough to retain water for several weeks. Granite Pool Sprite is an annual, germinating when the pools fill with rainwater during the late fall and early winter months. It has a fibrous root system. Granite Pool Sprite produces two types of leaves—a submerged basal rosette and floating leaves. The basal leaves are lanceolate in outline and sessile. The floating leaves occur in pairs on thread-like stems. They are oval to elliptic in outline and glandular punctate. Two types of flowers are produced. Cleistogamous flowers (flowers that self-pollinate and do not open) are produced in the axils of the basal leaves. Chasmogamous flowers are produced singly between the two floating leaves. They have a tubular white corolla with 5 spreading lobes. The fruit is a capsule.

Granite Pool Sprite was listed as a Threatened Species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on February 5, 1988. It is listed as a S1 species in Alabama (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G2 species (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).--A. Diamond