Ceratophyllum submersum | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Order: | Ceratophyllales |
Family: | Ceratophyllaceae |
Genus: | Ceratophyllum |
Species: | C. submersum |
Binomial name | |
Ceratophyllum submersum | |
Ceratophyllum submersum, commonly known as the soft hornwort or tropical hornwort, [2] [3] is a species of Ceratophyllum . It is a submerged, free-floating aquatic plant. [4] It has been reported from Europe, Central Asia, northern Africa, scattered places in tropical Africa, Turkey, Oman, Florida, and the Dominican Republic. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] It is similar to the submerged macrophyte Ceratophyllum demersum , a congeneric plant that is found in most regions of the world. [11]
The C. submersum, is a free floating aquatic plant which forks from stem three to four times and ends have 6 to 8 threadlike tips. [12] The temperature tolerance is suggested to be between 4°C to 30°C, the optimal temperature is noted to be 15°C to 30°C. [13] The height of the plant is often 6 in. -12 in. (15-30 cm) or 12 in. -18 in. (30-45 cm). [3]
Soft hornwort and rigid hornwort can look very similar, despite the difference in texture that is apparent in mature plants. To confirm which species is present, one should check the number of times the leaves divide: just 1-2 times in rigid hornwort, vs. 3-4 times in soft hornwort. [14]
C. submersum prefers to colonize eutrophic waters around agricultural systems. [11] C. submersum is a self-regulating rapid grower like Ceratophyllum demersum. It strives in a moderately lit environment. In a strong lighted environment C. submersum attains an auburn color tint. [15] Since this aquatic plant has a fast growth it has to be trimmed often, or at least be provided a larger tank or environment to accommodate it for proper function. [16] It is found submerged in freshwater [17] in tropical regions of the world, with the species being introduced in newer areas around the world, such as Ireland. [18] It has been found in the Rosetta branch of the Nile River of Egypt, where it thrives in either various locations at different times of the year. [19]
Its presence in waters have been associated with a decrease in nitrogen forms such NH4 and NO3 in water, but an increase in pH, conductivity and dissolved oxygen. [19] While C. demersum has been negatively associated with all phytoplankton classes, C. submersum was positively associated with them, chlorophyll a and Cyanophyceae. [19] C. submersum and C. demersum do not share the same habitat, with the cosmopolitan C. demersum being more distributed, indicating a similar niches. In some cases, C. submersum can overtake C. demersum in one vegetative season in a body of water. [11]
C. submersum is often used in aquariums as a way to decrease nitrogen in artificial aquatic systems. However, it is not as common in usage as the C. demersum. It is propagated by cutting the stem of the plant and placing it in the aquatic system. [3] After the organic matter is converted to soluble inorganic matter the C. submersum helps to oxygenates waste water. [20]
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes and rivers, macrophytes provide cover for fish, substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife.
Ceratophyllum is a cosmopolitan genus of flowering plants including four accepted living species in 2016, commonly found in ponds, marshes, and quiet streams in tropical and in temperate regions. It is the only extant genus in the family Ceratophyllaceae, itself the only extant family in the order Ceratophyllales. They are usually called coontails or hornworts, although hornwort is also used for unrelated plants of the division Anthocerotophyta.
Ceratophyllaceae is a cosmopolitan family of flowering plants including one living genus commonly found in ponds, marshes, and quiet streams in tropical and in temperate regions. It is the only extant family in the order Ceratophyllales. Species are commonly called coontails or hornworts, although hornwort is also used for unrelated plants of the division Anthocerotophyta.
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Ceratophyllum demersum, commonly known as hornwort, rigid hornwort, coontail, or coon's tail, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Ceratophyllum. It is a submerged, free-floating aquatic plant, with a cosmopolitan distribution, native to all continents except Antarctica. It is a harmful weed introduced in New Zealand. It is also a popular aquarium plant. Its genome has been sequenced to study angiosperm evolution.
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Ceratophyllum echinatum, known as prickly hornwort, spiny hornwort, or spiny coontail, is an aquatic, perennial plant found in North America. Its name comes from fruits, which have a warty surface and long spines. Spiny hornwort can be found in ponds and lakes, principally in eastern North America. It is the only species of its genus endemic to North America.
Podostemum ceratophyllum, commonly known as the hornleaf riverweed, is a species of submerged aquatic plant in the family Podostemaceae. It is native to eastern North America where it grows on hard bottoms in swiftly flowing rivers and streams and is considered a foundation species.
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