Native Aquatic Plants in MD - Local Biotopes

AaronT · 08-03-2008, 10:52 AM

The other day Cavan Allen, krisw and myself went on a little photo safari. We started at the Patuxent Research Refuge’s Visitor Center and then made our way over to Rock Creek Park to scour the edges of Needwood Lake.

Callitriche sp.

Lobelia cardinalis in full bloom is a sight to see.

Another Lobelia species.

Ludwigia peploides spreads its way across the lake's surface.

Proserpinaca palustris emerges from the lake bed.

A Sphagnum moss species grew abundantly along the shores of the Patuxent's Cash Lake.

Murdannia keisak (introduced) grows among some flowering Utriculara species (most likely gibba). Also, laying flat on the surface of the water was one of many Eleocharis species we saw. This was likely parvulus or acicularis.

hooha · 08-03-2008, 11:59 AM

nice, what references do you guys use for plant ID? I see a bunch of plants in the wild myself but can't tell what they are emersed.

AaronT · 08-03-2008, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooha

nice, what references do you guys use for plant ID? I see a bunch of plants in the wild myself but can't tell what they are emersed.

www.alabamaplants.com and www.missouriplants.com are among the best internet resources.

fredyk · 08-03-2008, 04:33 PM

Excellent, AaronT !

Fortuna Wolf · 08-03-2008, 10:49 PM

Hi Aaron, have you tried out U. gibba in the aquarium? I know it has a terrestrial form but I don't know if the aquatic form is floating, affixed, or anchored.

What people usually ID as U. gibba in the aquarium is actually U. olivaceae.

HeyPK · 08-04-2008, 04:17 AM

From the pictures I have been able to find on Google Images, U. gibba looks very similar in its growth form to U. olivacea. Which ever species we have had, it is something that many of us have had at some time or other, and have managed to get rid of. It forms an untidy mat at the surface or grows among other plants in a tangle and is about as welcome as duckweed. Another plant like it is Eleocharis vivipara. By the way, I found a strange website called Galleria Carnivora that has a very large collection of Utricularia pictures:http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g124.html

AaronT · 08-04-2008, 04:43 AM

Yes, I have tried Utricularia gibba in the aquarium, or at least something like it and certainly not on purpose. As HeyPK pointed out it becomes quite a nuisance after a while and is impossible to remove.

Cavan Allen · 08-04-2008, 05:08 PM

I found some more of the Utricularia when we were there and looked through the USDA database. It was branchier and more complex than U. gibba. I think that it might be U. geminiscapa.

It was a fun trip! I hope this inspires more people to get out there.

HeyPK · 08-04-2008, 10:44 PM

It is good to see that activity is picking up in the local biotopes forum. Collecting wild plants and growing them or trying to grow them is a fun part of the hobby.

jaidexl · 08-05-2008, 04:50 AM

I also find http://plants.usda.gov/ useful.