The Lesser Water Plantain lives in a rare habitat: the margins of water bodies with heavy changes of water level. In spring it germinates on wet muddy ground, but in winter this place got to be flooded to give the plant protection. If you examine the flowers you can easily realize the relationship to the ordinary water plantain. Another close relative is Echinodorus, a plant much used in aquariums. The relationship is so close that some botanist regard it as a member of the genus Echinodorus. Since it is one of the few plants that tolerates salt water it can be found along the sea shore in swamps.