Potamogeton acutifolius

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Potamogeton acutifolius
PotamogetonAcutifolius6.jpg
Potamogeton acutifolius (detail)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Potamogetonaceae
Genus: Potamogeton
Species:
P. acutifolius
Binomial name
Potamogeton acutifolius
Link, 1818
Synonyms [1]
  • Potamogeton bambergensisG.Fisch.
  • Potamogeton carinatusKupffer
  • Potamogeton cuspidatusSchrad.
  • Potamogeton henningiiA.Benn.
  • Potamogeton laticaulisWahlenb.

Potamogeton acutifolius is a European species of aquatic plant in the family Potamogetonaceae, known by the common name sharp-leaved pondweed. [2] It is threatened and declining in at least part of its range.

Contents

Description

Leaves of sharp-leaved pondweed (actual width 3-3.5 mm). Note the opaque appearance due to the sclerenchymatous strands. PotamogetonAcutifolius4.jpg
Leaves of sharp-leaved pondweed (actual width 3-3.5 mm). Note the opaque appearance due to the sclerenchymatous strands.

Sharp-leaved pondweed grows annually from turions and seed, producing rather lax plants branching near the surface with strongly compressed stems and long, rather grass-like leaves that are 35–100 mm long and 1.5–5 mm wide and dark green, often with a marked reddish or brownish tinge. [3] Each leaf has one vein either side of the midrib. There are no rhizomes or floating leaves.

The inflorescences are up to 6 mm long with 4-6 flowers with a short peduncle (5–20 mm long, occasionally more). [3]

Within its range, sharp-leaved pondweed is relatively easily identified from all other pondweeds except the closely related grass-wrack pondweed ( P. compressus ) by its combination of strongly flattened stems, sclerenchymatous strands in the leaf (giving the submerged leaves an opaque appearance compared with the transparent appearance of other pondweeds) and leaves with sharply pointed (acute) tips. [3] Grass-wrack pondweed differs in having blunter tips to the leaves, leaves with 2 veins either side of the midrib, and infloresecences with 10-20 flowers on long peduncles, 28–95 mm long. [3]

Hybrids with P. berchtoldii (P. × sudermanicusHagstr.) and P. friesii (P. × pseudofriesiiDandy & G.Taylor) have been recorded. Both are rare. [3] In northeast Europe, DNA evidence indicates that hybrids with P. compressus are fairly frequent, but often overlooked because of the difficulty of reliably identifying them. [4]

Taxonomy

Potamogeton acutifolius was described in 1815 by the German botanist Johann Link. The specific epithet, acutifolius, meaning "acute leaved", is derived from Latin acutus (pointed, acute), and -folius (-leaved), referring to the pointed leaf tips. [5]

Within the genus Potamogeton , Sharp-leaved pondweed is within the Section Graminifolii (fine-leaved pondweeds). It is closely related to P. compressus , P. zosterifolius and P. mandschuriensis, [6] [7] [8] all of which also have sclerenchymatous strands.

Distribution

Potamogeton acutifolius is native to Europe, including the UK, Czech Republic, Balkans [9] and Denmark. [10] In Britain it has always been rather rare and now has a very restricted distribution to suitable habitat in south-east England.

Ecology and conservation

Sharp-leaved pondweed in a pond in Lower Saxony (Germany) PotamogetonAcutifolius1.jpg
Sharp-leaved pondweed in a pond in Lower Saxony (Germany)

In Britain, P. acutifolius is almost exclusively restricted to shallow, circumneutral, species-rich ditches on lowland grazing marshes, [3] [11] often with fairly high conductivity. [12] Although there are some fairly strong populations remaining in Britain, these are vulnerable to changes in farming practice, pollution and sea level rise. [12] As ditch systems are an artificial habitat type, sharp-leaved pondweed presumably relied on a now destroyed habitat in Britain, a possible candidate being natural lowland river-floodplain wetland areas, which could create disturbed areas for this plant to exploit. Alternatively, it may have been associated with a now extinct species such as beaver.

Sharp-leaved pondweed has declined markedly in both Britain [11] and Denmark. [10] On the British [13] and Swiss [14] Red Lists for Vascular Plants it is listed as Critically Endangered and it is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species. [15] It is classed as Vulnerable in the Czech Republic [16] and Germany. [17] In Flanders it is classed as Rare [18] and in the Netherlands it is Near Threatened. [19]

Cultivation

Potamogeton acutifolius is not in general cultivation, and its rarity suggests that it may be difficult to cultivate. It would need to be grown in rather silty, nutrient-rich ponds that are regularly cleaned out in order to suppress competing vegetation.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potamogetonaceae</span> Family of aquatic plants

The Potamogetonaceae, commonly referred to as the pondweed family, is an aquatic family of monocotyledonous flowering plants. The roughly 110 known species are divided over six genera. The largest genus in the family by far is Potamogeton, which contains about 100 species.

<i>Potamogeton</i> Genus of aquatic plants

Potamogeton is a genus of aquatic, mostly freshwater, plants of the family Potamogetonaceae. Most are known by the common name pondweed, although many unrelated plants may be called pondweed, such as Canadian pondweed. The genus name means "river neighbor", originating from the Greek potamos (river) and geiton (neighbor).

<i>Potamogeton crispus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton crispus, the crisp-leaved pondweed, curly pondweed, curly-leaf pondweed or curled pondweed, is a species of aquatic plant (hydrophyte) native to Eurasia but an introduced species and often a noxious weed in North America.

<i>Potamogeton perfoliatus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton perfoliatus is a perennial aquatic plant in the family Potamogetonaceae occurring in both standing and flowing freshwater habitats. It is widely distributed globally, occurring in all continents except South America and Antarctica.

<i>Potamogeton praelongus</i> Species of flowering plant

Potamogeton praelongus, commonly known as whitestem pondweed in North America and long-stalked pondweed in Britain, is a large, perennial aquatic plant in the family Potamogetonaceae. It is widely distributed in lakes and rivers in the northern hemisphere, but is sensitive to poor water quality.

<i>Potamogeton polygonifolius</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton polygonifolius or bog pondweed, is an aquatic plant. It is found in shallow, nutrient-poor, usually acid standing or running water, bogs, fens and occasionally ditches.

<i>Potamogeton coloratus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton coloratus, the fen pondweed, is an aquatic plant in the genus Potamogeton. It is found in shallow peaty calcareous lakes, ponds and ditches, commonly associated with lowland fens.

<i>Potamogeton lucens</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton lucens, or shining pondweed, is an aquatic perennial plant native to Eurasia and North Africa. It grows in relatively deep, still or slow-flowing, calcareous freshwater habitats.

<i>Potamogeton alpinus</i> Species of flowering plant

Potamogeton alpinus is a species of perennial aquatic plant known by the common names alpine pondweed and red pondweed. It is widespread in the northern hemisphere in both rivers and lakes with good water quality.

<i>Potamogeton diversifolius</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton diversifolius is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names waterthread pondweed and diverse-leaved pondweed. It is native to most of the United States, as well as sections of southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico, where it grows in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and slow-moving streams. This is a perennial herb producing a very narrow, compressed stem branching to a maximum length around 35 centimeters. It has thin, pointed linear leaves a few centimeters long spirally arranged about the thin stem. The inflorescence is a small spike of flowers emerging from the water surface. Inflorescences also grow on submersed sections of the stem; these are smaller and spherical. It can be difficult to distinguish from similar species of pondweed.

<i>Potamogeton epihydrus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton epihydrus is a perennial aquatic plant known by the common names ribbonleaf pondweed and Nuttall's pondweed, and American pondweed in the United Kingdom. It is native to much of North America, where it grows in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and slow-moving streams.

<i>Potamogeton gramineus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton gramineus is a species of aquatic plant known by the common name various-leaved pondweed, variableleaf pondweed, grass-leaved pondweed or grassy pondweed, native to the northern hemisphere where it grows in shallow, clean water.

<i>Potamogeton pusillus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton pusillus is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names small pondweed, lesser pondweed or least pondweed. It occurs in standing and slow-flowing freshwater habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

<i>Potamogeton compressus</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton compressus is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names grass-wrack pondweed, flatstem pondweed and eel-grass pondweed.

<i>Potamogeton obtusifolius</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton obtusifolius, known as blunt-leaved pondweed, is an aquatic plant in the genus Potamogeton. It grows mainly in mesotrophic to eutrophic lakes, ponds and ditches, rarely in brackish water. It occurs primarily in Central Europe, the British Isles, Fennoscandia and eastern North America.

<i>Potamogeton berchtoldii</i> Species of plant

Potamogeton berchtoldii, common name small pondweed is an aquatic plant.

Potamogeton × griffithii is a hybrid pondweed between Potamogeton alpinus and Potamogeton praelongus. It occurs in oligotrophic, moderate alkalinity lakes.

<i>Potamogeton trichoides</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton trichoides is a species of aquatic plant known by the common name hairlike pondweed, native to Europe and western Asia where it grows in calcareous, usually nutrient-rich standing or slow-flowing water.

<i>Potamogeton <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> angustifolius</i> Species of flowering plant

Potamogeton × angustifolius is a hybrid pondweed between Potamogeton gramineus and Potamogeton lucens, known as long-leaved pondweed. It is widespread in rivers and lakes except where the water is very soft.

<i>Potamogeton friesii</i> Species of aquatic plant

Potamogeton friesii, known as flat-stalked pondweed, or Fries' pondweed, is an aquatic plant in the genus Potamogeton. It grows mainly in mesotrophic to eutrophic rivers, lakes, ponds and ditches, rarely in brackish water. It occurs in North America, Europe, western Asia and a few scattered locations elsewhere in Asia.

References

  1. ↑ Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and Missouri Botanic Gardens. The Plant List: Potamogeton acutifolius. Accessed 21 November 2014.
  2. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 26 June 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Preston C.D. (1995). Pondweeds of Great Britain and Ireland. BSBI Handbook No. 8. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London.
  4. ↑ Zalewska-Galosz J., Ronikier M. 2010. Are linear-leaved Potamogeton hybrids really so rare? Molecular evidence for multiple hybridizations between P. acutifolius and P.compressus in Central Europe. Nordic Journal of Botany, 28, 257-261.
  5. ↑ Eggli, Urs; Newton, Leonard E. (2004). Etymological Dictionary of Succulent Plant Names. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. p. 2. ISBN   978-3-540-00489-9 . Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  6. ↑ Wiegleb G., Kaplan Z. 1998. An account of the species of Potamogeton L. Folia Geobotanica, 33, 241-316.
  7. ↑ Kaplan Z., Marhold K. 2012. Multivariate morphometric analysis of the Potamogeton compressus group. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 170, 112-130.
  8. ↑ Lindqvist C., De Laet J., Haynes R.R., Aagesen L., Keener B.R., Albert V.A. 2006. Molecular phylogenetics of an aquatic plant lineage, Potamogetonaceae. Cladistics, 22, 568-588.
  9. ↑ Talevska M., Petrovic D., Milosevic D., Talevski T., Maric D., Talevska A. 2009. Biodiversity of Macrophyte Vegetation from Lake Prespa, Lake Ohrid and Lake Skadar, Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment,23:sup1, 931-935, DOI:10.1080/13102818.2009.10818575
  10. 1 2 Sand-Jensen K, Riis T, Vestergaard O. Larsen S.E. 2000. Macrophyte decline in Danish lakes and streams over the past 100 years. Journal of Ecology, 88, 1030–1040.
  11. 1 2 Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora
  12. 1 2 Newbold C. 2003. The ecology and status of sharp-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton acutifolius) in 2003. Report to English Nature No. EIT340107. English Nature, Peterborough.
  13. ↑ Cheffings C.M., Farrell, L. (Eds), Dines T.D., Jones R.A., Leach S.J., McKean D.R., Pearman D.A., Preston C.D., Rumsey F.J., Taylor I. 2005. The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain. Species Status, 7, 1-116. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Peterborough.
  14. ↑ Moser D.M., Gygax A., Bäumler B., Wyler N., Palese R. 2002. Liste rouge des espèces menacées de Suisse. Fougères et plantes à fleurs. Ed. Office fédéral de l’environnement, des forêts et du paysage, Berne; Centre du Réseau Suisse de Floristique, Chambésy; Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève, Chambésy. Série OFEFP «L’environnement pratique». 118 pp.
  15. ↑ Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC). 2010. UK Priority Species Pages. Version 2. Potamogeton acutifolius.
  16. ↑ Grulich V. 2012. Red List of vascular plants of the Czech Republic: 3rd edition. Preslia, 84, 631–645.
  17. ↑ http://www.floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=4457& Bundesamt für Naturschutz: Potamogeton acutifolius (in German)
  18. ↑ Van Landuyt W., Vanhecke L., Hoste I. 2006. Rode Lijst van de vaatplanten van Vlaanderen en het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest. In : Van Landuyt W. et al. Atlas van de Flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels Gewest. INBO en Nationale Plantentuin van België, Brussel. Web version.
  19. ↑ Sparrius L.B., Odé B., Beringen R. 2014. Basisreport Rode Lijst Vaatplanten 2012 volgens Nederlandse en IUCN-criteria. FLORON Rapport 57. Floron, Nijmegen.
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