Aquatic Plants

Aquatic Plants


There are three types of aquatic plants - emergent, floating-leaf and submergent. 

Emergent plants have roots in the substrate and grow up and out of the water.  They tolerate fluctuating water levels and provide important services such as nutrient and sediment trapping.  Emergent plants grow in shallow water at margins of lakes, ponds and streams (closest to the shore) and often form a continuous band at the edge of the water.  Some examples are pickerelweed, broadleaf arrowhead and  threeway sedge.

Floating-leaf plants have roots attached to the substrate and leaves floating on the water surface.  Flowering occurs at the surface of the water or just above.  Some examples are watershield, fragrant waterlily and yellow floating-heart.

Submergent plants grow mostly under water.  Some are fully submergent and some have floating or slightly emergent parts. Some are rooted to the substrate and some have no root system at all.  Flowering may occur underwater, at the water surface or on short emergent stem tips. Some examples are American eelgrass and Eurasian water-millfoil.

Acanthaceae

acanthus family

Justicia
Justicia
 water-willow 
J. americana
American water-willow
Araceae

arum family

Lemna
Lemna
 duckweed 
L. minor
common duckweed
Orontium
Orontium
 golden club 
O. aquaticum
goldenclub
Spirodela
Spirodela
 duck-meal 
S. polyrhiza
common duckmeal
Wolffia
Wolffia
 watermeal 
W. columbiana
Columbian watermeal
Haloragaceae

water-milfoil family

Myriophyllum
Myriophyllum
 water-milfoil 
M. aquaticum
parrot feather
M. heterophyllum
southern water-millfoil
M. spicatum
Eurasian water-milfoil
Hydrocharitaceae

frog's-bit family

Elodea
Elodea
 waterweed 
E. canadensis
common waterweed
E. nuttallii
Nuttall's waterweed
Hydrilla
Hydrilla
 water-thyme 
H. verticillata
waterthyme
Najas
Najas
 waternymph 
N. minor
brittle waternymph
Vallisneria
Vallisneria
 tape-grass 
V. americana
American eelgrass
Lentibulariaceae

bladderwort family

Utricularia
Utricularia
 bladderwort 
U. inflata
swollen bladderwort
U. macrorhiza
common bladderwort
U. purpurea
purple bladderwort
U. radiata
floating bladderwort
Marsileaceae

pepperwort family

Marsilea
Marsilea
 water clover 
M. quadrifolia
European water clover
Menyanthaceae

buckbean family

Nymphoides
Nymphoides
 floating-heart 
N. peltata
yellow floating-heart
Nymphaeaceae

waterlily family

Nuphar
Nuphar
 spatterdock 
N. advena
spatterdock
N. variegata
bullhead pondlily
Nymphaea
Nymphaea
 waterlily 
N. odorata
fragrant waterlily
Onagraceae

evening primrose family

Ludwigia
Ludwigia
 water-primrose 
L. palustris
marsh seedbox
L. peploides
floating seedbox
Plantaginaceae

plantain family

Callitriche
Callitriche
 water-starwort 
C. palustris
vernal water-starwort
C. stagnalis
pond water-starwort
Pontederiaceae

water hyacinth family

Heteranthera
Heteranthera
 mud plantain 
H. dubia
water stargrass
H. reniformis
kidneyleaf mud-plantain
Pontederia
Pontederia
 pickerelweed 
P. cordata
pickerelweed
Potamogetonaceae

pondweed family

Potamogeton
Potamogeton
 pondweed 
P. crispus
curly pondweed
P. epihydrus
ribbonleaf pondweed
P. natans
floating pondweed
P. perfoliatus
perfoliate pondweed
Ranunculaceae

buttercup family

Ranunculus
Ranunculus
 buttercup 
R. aquatilis
white water buttercup
Typhaceae

cattail family

Sparganium
Sparganium
 bur-reed 
S. americanum
American bur-reed
S. emersum
simplestem bur-reed
S. eurycarpum
great bur-reed
Typha
Typha
 cattail 
T. angustifolia
narrowleaf cattail
T. latifolia
common cattail