Potamogeton richardsonii
Potamogeton confervoides
clasping-leaf pondweed, potamot de Richardson, Richardson's pondweed
alga pondweed, alga-like pondweed, potamot confervoide, Tuckerman's pondweed
terete, without spots, to 100 cm;
nodal glands absent.
terete, without spots, 10–80 cm.
absent.
present, in axils of old leaves and from disintegrating branches, fusiform, 0.7–2 cm, leaves spreading to ascending.
submersed, ± spirally arranged, sessile, lax;
stipules persistent, conspicuous, convolute, free from blade, white, not ligulate, 0.12–0.17 cm, fibrous, disintegrating to persistent fibers, even on proximal portion of stem, shredding at apex, apex obtuse;
blade olive green, ovate-lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, not arcuate, 1.6–13 cm × 5–28 mm, base rounded, without basal lobes, clasping, margins entire to crispate, apex not hoodlike, not splitting when pressed, acute to obtuse, lacunae absent;
veins 3–35.
submersed, ± spirally arranged, flaccid, sessile;
stipules deliquescent, inconspicuous, convolute, free from blade, pale green, not ligulate, 0.5–1.2 cm, not fibrous, not shredding at tip, apex obtuse;
blade pale green, linear, not arcuate, 1.8–6.5 cm × 0.1–0.5 mm, base slightly tapering, without basal lobes, not clasping, margins entire, not crispate, apex not hoodlike, extremely attenuate, bristly, lacunae present, each side of midvein to margins;
veins 1.
emersed, unbranched;
peduncles not dimorphic, terminal or axillary, erect to rarely recurved, clavate, 1.5–14.8 cm;
spikes not dimorphic, cylindric, 13–37 mm.
unbranched, emersed;
peduncles not dimorphic, terminal, ascending, somewhat clavate, (3–)5–25 cm;
spikes not dimorphic, capitate, 5–12 mm.
sessile, greenish brown, obovoid, turgid to concave, not or rarely abaxially keeled, not laterally keeled, 2.2–4.2 × 1.7–2.9 mm;
beak erect, 0.4–0.7 mm;
sides without basal tubercles;
embryo with 1 full spiral.
sessile, light green, round-obovoid or nearly orbicular, compressed, abaxially and laterally keeled, 2–3 × 1.7–2.8 mm, lateral keels without sharp point;
beak erect, 0.5 mm;
sides without basal tubercles;
embryo with less than 1 full spiral.
apparently unknown not available.
present.
obvious.
= 52.
Potamogeton richardsonii
Potamogeton confervoides
Potamogeton richardsonii is quite similar to P. perfoliatus. Specific characteristics to separate the two species are the shape of the leaf blade apex, acute in P. richardsonii and obtuse in P. perfoliatus, and the condition of the stipules, disintegrating between the veins leaving fibrous strands in P. richardsonii, and the entire stipule, including the veins, disintegrating in P. perfoliatus.
Two hybrids, Potamogeton gramineus × P. richardsonii (= P. × hagstroemii A. Bennett [as hagstromii]) and P. nodosus × P. richardsonii (= P. × rectifolius A. Bennett), have been described.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Potamogeton confervoides is most uncommon and found only in fairly acidic waters. It is easily recognized by its linear, bristly leaves and the unusually long peduncle that seems out of place on a plant with such fine leaves. The leaves are so fine that they almost appear as greenish colored hair in the water. When the plant is removed from the water, the leaves are extremely flaccid leaves and essentially collapse onto each other.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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