Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Brookgrass
Catabrosa aquatica (L.) Beauv.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering: June-September
Field Marks: This rhizomatous aquatic grass is further distinguished by its usually 2-flowered spikelets with the smooth glumes and lemmas toothed at the tip. This grass also has leaves up to 1/2 inch wide and ligules up to 1/3 inch long.
Habitat: Along streams, around ponds and lakes, usually in water.
Habit: Aquatic perennial with rhizomes.
Stems: Decumbent and rooting at the nodes, later becoming upright, branched or unbranched, hollow, up to 2 feet tall, smooth.
Leaves: Alternate, elongated, flat, up to 1/2 inch wide, smooth; ligules up to 1/3 inch long.
Flowers: Borne in usually 2-flowered spikelets, the spikelets arranged in open panicles up to 10 inches long; each spikelet up to 1/6 inch long; glumes and lemmas toothed at the tip, smooth.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior, smooth.
Grains: Oval, flat, brown.
Notes: The grains are eaten by waterfowl.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/2/cataaqua.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:23:49 EST
Reston, VA [vaww54]