PLANT IDENTIFICATION
SUBMERGED PLANTS
1.
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) - Hydrilla is a submersed bottom-rooted
perennial with leaves growing in whorls of 5-7. The leaves have sharp-toothed
edges and tiny spines on the underside of the midvein. This plant has
single 2 - 4 mm. wide, white or translucent flowers.
2.
Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) - Eurasian watermilfoil
is a submersed bottom- rooted perennial. The stem is round with whorls
of four feather-like leaves, most often with 12 to 24 finely dissected
segments per side. This plant is characterized by its elongated flowering
spikes that rise 5 - 8 cm. above the water.
3.
American Pondweed (Potamogeton nodosus) - American pondweed is
a submersed bottom-rooted perennial. It consists of waxy, floating elliptical
leaves. It also has very long and thin, alternating submersed leaves.
This plant has a flowering spike of 4 - 6 cm. long.
EMERGENT PLANTS
4.
Water Primrose (Ludwigia uruaguayensis) - Water primrose is a mat-forming
perennial with floating or creeping stems. Floating leaves are usually
rounded or spoon-shaped and often occur in rosettes. Emergent leaves are
elliptical and finely pubescent (hairy). The flowers have 5 bright yellow
leaves up to 1.5 mm. long and occur on stalks rising from the axils of
upper leaves.
5.
Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) - Alligator weed is
an emergent perennial with hollow, trailing stems which often forms floating
mats. The leaves are 3-5 cm. long and grow opposite each other along the
stem. The leaves are narrow and generally taper toward the stem and have
distinct middle veins. The flower heads are borne on stalks rising from
the leaf axil and are composed of numerous, small white flowers compacted
into a rounded cluster.
6.
American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea) - American lotus is an emergent
perennial with stout stalks that rise up to 1 meter above the water. The
stalks support round, blue-green leaves up to 60 cm. in diameter. These
same leaves also occur floating on the surface of the water. Solitary
pale yellow flowers occur on stalks and open up to 25 cm. wide.
7.
Smartweeds (Polygonum spp.) - The smartweed pictured is representative
of many of the smartweeds throughout the southeastern U.S. A particularly
noxious aquatic species of this group is giant smartweed (Polygonum amphibium).
It is a mat-forming perennial first having horizontal stems with floating
leaves, later producing emersed stems. Leaves of erect stems are alternate,
4-6 cm. wide and up to 15 cm. long with a sharp, pointed tip. The flowering
heads are terminal usually singular, but sometimes two. The flowering
heads are cylindrical , 4-15 cm. long and about 1 cm. in diameter, and
composed of a dense cluster of small pink to scarlet flowers.
FLOATING PLANTS
8.
Waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) - Waterhyacinth is a floating
plant. Daughter plants are often connected by runners that hold large
mats together. The stems are typically swollen and filled with a spongy
tissue that acts as a float. It has very long, string purple or black
roots. Flowers are in spikes that are light-blue to violet.
9.
Watermeal (Wolffia columbiana) - Watermeal is a small, free-floating
herb with a green circular frond 0.5-1 mm. in diameter, and 0.25-0.5 mm.
thick. This plant lacks roots and a handful feels gritty like wet meal.
ALGAE
10.
Filamentous Algae - Filamentous algae consist of several different species
that can usually only be identified with the aid of a microscope. These
are alga composed in rows of cells that grow from the bottom and may form
large mats of dead material on the surface of the water.
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