Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

55. Potamogetonaceae, the Pondweed Family

1. Potamogeton L. -- Pondweed

3. Potamogeton crispus L. -- Curly pondweed

Stems slightly compressed, mostly 1-2 mm thick, usually branching, mostly 4-8 dm long. Leaves all submersed, sessile, slightly clasping, linear-oblong to linear-oblanceolate or oblong to oblanceolate, 3-8 cm long, 3-10 mm wide, 3- to 5-nerved, rounded at the tip, narrowed at the base, the margin usually undulate-crisped, finely serrate; stipules slightly adnate at the base, 4-10 mm long, early shredding. Winter buds commonly produced in some of the leaf axils, indurate, ca. 1-2 cm long. Spikes dense, short-cylindric, 1-2 cm long; peduncles terete, about as thick as the stem, 2-5(7) cm long. Fruits brown, ovoid, the body 2-3 mm long, the beak very prominent, 2-3 mm long; keels low, rounded. Apr--Jun. Shallow water of lakes, ponds and slow-moving streams, especially recreational waters; locally abundant at scattered locations; (Intro. along both coasts and inland in N.Amer.).
GIF- Distribution Map

Previous Section -- Potamogeton amplifolius Tuckerm. -- Largeleaf pondweed
Return to Family -- Potamogetonaceae - The Pondweed Family
Next Section -- Potamogeton diversifolius Raf. -- Waterthread pondweed

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Menlo Park, CA [caww55]