Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Potamogeton crispus L.
- Family: Pondweed (Potamogetonaceae)
- Flowering: May-September
- Field Marks: This species is readily identified by its wavy-edged leaves that are sharply fine-toothed.
- Habitat: Fresh or brackish ponds and streams.
- Habit: Perennial aquatic herb from stout, creeping rhizomes.
- Stems: Flattened, usually branched, up to 1/8 inch in diameter, smooth.
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, all alike, submerged, broadly linear to oblong, rounded to somewhat pointed at the tip, tapering to the nearly clasping base, up to 4 inches long, up to 1/2 inch wide, reddish green, the margins wavy and finely and irregularly toothed, 3- to 5-nerved.
- Flowers: Several loosely arranged in spikes, the spikes cylindrical, up to nearly 1 inch long, on stalks up to 2 1/2 inches long.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 4.
- Pistils: 4, free from each other, the ovary superior.
- Fruits: Achenes ovoid, strongly and obtusely keeled with a small tooth near the base, 1/10-1/6 inch long, with a straight or incurved beak 1/10-1/5 inch long, greenish or brownish.
- Notes: This species is an introduction from Europe. Waterfowl eat the achenes.
Previous Species -- Large-leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton amplifolius)
Return to Species List -- Group 4
Next Species -- Water-thread Pondweed (Potamogeton diversifolius)
