Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & W.L.E. Schmidt
- Family: Naiad (Najadaceae)
- Flowering: July-October
- Field Marks: The margin of each leaf has 20-40 minute spinules on each side of the leaf (not including the basal sheath). The pale green leaves often have enrolled margins and a recurved tip.
- Habitat: In fresh or brackish water.
- Habit: Annual aquatic herb.
- Stems: Submerged, much branched, smooth, the terminal nodes crowded, the internodes dark green to light yellow to reddish.
- Leaves: Opposite, simple, linear to very narrowly lanceolate, up to 1 1/4 inches long, up to 1/16 inch wide, the tip usually recurved, gradually tapering to the base, each leaf margin with 20-40 minute spinules on each side of the leaf (not including the basal sheath).
- Flowers: Male and female borne separately in the axils of the leaves but on the same plant.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 1.
- Pistils: Ovary superior; stigmas 2.
- Fruits: Ellipsoid, slender, shiny, up to 1/8 inch long, 1/3 as thick as long, marked with 30-40 longitudinal rows of hexagonal areas, covered by a yellow to purplish coat.
- Notes: The minute seeds are eaten by waterfowl.
Previous Species -- Virginia Bunchflower (Melanthium virginicum)
Return to Species List -- Group 4
Next Species -- Brittle Naiad (Najas minor)
