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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Western Quillwort
Isoetes lacustris L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Quillwort (Isoetaceae)
Field Marks: This quillwort is almost always found submersed in water. It has extremely long leaves, as much as 8 inches long.
Spores: May-June
Habitat: Lakes in the mountains.
Habit: Submersed perennial plant with a 2-lobed corm.
Stems: Underwater as a 2-lobed corm.
Leaves: Elongated, grass-like, up to 30 in number, dark green, up to 8 inches long, swollen at the base to contain the sporangia.
Sporangia: Borne within the swollen, paler base of each leaf.
Spores: Cream-colored with minute spines (when viewed through a microscope).

Previous Species -- Spiny-spore Quillwort (Isoetes echinospora)
Return to Species List -- Group 1
Next Species -- Hairy Water Fern (Marsilea uestita )

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:23:35 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]