It is not indigenous to North America, where is was introduced in 1862 in Connecticut. Today, it is found in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland to name a few American states.
The Marsilea quadrifolia uses moisture to survive, often growing its roots in damp soil to survive in different climates. It is often found near a lot of vegetation in heavily wooded areas. It also has the ability to grow and bloom in shallow water as long as there is a sufficient source of sunlight.
Human settlement can harm this plant! Just like the Oita Salamander in my earlier articles, these species are being damaged mostly by human settlement. Unfortunately, this is a large part of many species of plants and animals becoming extinct. Our interactions with the environment, from pollution to recreational enjoyment, unfortunately, hurts the environment. Although the Marsilea quadrifolia is a small plant, its importance, like any other animal or plant has a job. When that job is interrupted, it causes a long list of problems for that ecosystem because there is something missing and if it is not replaced (which it often is not), other species could feel the negative impacts. Here in Japan, as our students have been researching, we do not know the effects at the moment. But eventually, it could be a big problem!
