Download Higher Aquatic Botany

Aquatic
Botany
Angiosperms
Hydrophytes
Plants growing in water or on a
substrate that is at least periodically
deficient in oxygen as a result of
excessive water content.
Categorizing Wetland Plants for
Delineation Purposes
(p. 755 of Mitsch)
•
•
•
•
•
Obligate Wetland (OBL)-occur almost always (>99%) in wetlands;
E.g., Typha latifolia, Cattail
Facultative Wetland (FACW)-occur usually (67-99%) in wetlands,
but also occur in non-wetlands (1-33%); E.g., Onoclea sensibilis,
Sensitive Fern
Facultative (FAC)-similar likelihood of occurring in wetlands and
non-wetlands (33-67%); E.g., Euthamia graminifolia, Grass-leaved
Goldenrod
Facultative Upland (FACU)-occur sometimes in wetlands (1-33%)
but more often in non wetlands; E.g., Quercus rubra, Red Oak
Obligate Upland (UPL)-occur rarely (<1%) in wetlands; e.g.,
Dennsteadtia punctilobula, Hay-scented Fern
(+/- may be appended)
Categorizing Wetland Plants
by Growth Form
• Emergent-with leaves that extend above the
water surface; e.g., Northern Blue Flag, Iris
versicolor
• Free-floating-float freely on the water surface;
e.g., Duckweed, Lemna minor
• Floating-leaved-leaves float on water surface;
e.g., Spatterdock, Nuphar variegata
• Submersed-most of leaves growing under water
surface; e.g., Curly-leaf Pondweed,
Potomogeton crispus
Emergents
Blue Flag Iris
Cattail, Typha sp.
Emergents
• tolerate fluctuating water levels
• may dampen shoreline wave erosion;
stabilize sediments with interlocking
rootbed of rhizomes
• usually with protective waxy cuticle
• leaves with aerenchymous tissue making
them buoyant, useful for waterfowl nests
• may reproduce aerially (flowers) or
vegetatively by rhizomes
Aerenchyma
Purple Loosestrife
American Burreed, Sparganium americanum
Floating-leaved Plants
Water Meal, Wolfia sp.
Giant Duckweed, Spirodelia
Floating-Leaved Plant Community
• cirucular/eliptical leaves with smooth margins
resist tearing
• leathery; thick cuticle (waterproofing)
• stomata on surface
• aerenchyma
• often long petioles; often covered with mucilage
• may reproduce from flowers or by extensive
rhizomes
• free-floating plants produce turions to overwinter
Fragrant White Water Lily, Nymphea
Spatterdock
Submersed Plant Community
• leaves flexible, often finely divided; provide
structure for invertebrates
• no cuticle; often limp-the water provides
support
• heterophylly is common
• stems photosynthesize
• some reproduce from seed, others by
turion, rhizomes, or tuber
Submersed Plants
Naiad, Najas sp.
Elodea canadensis
Pondweeds, Potomogeton sp.
Carex
Bristly Sedge, C. comosa
Tussock Sedge, Carex stricta
Juncus
Soft Rush, Juncus effusus