Potamogeton obtusifolius

Last updated

Potamogeton obtusifolius
Potamogeton obtusifolius kz1.JPG
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Potamogetonaceae
Genus: Potamogeton
Species:P. obtusifolius
Binomial name
Potamogeton obtusifolius
Mert. & W.D.J.Koch
Synonyms [1]
  • Buccaferrea obtusifolia(Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) Bubani
  • Potamogeton divaricatusWolfg.
  • Potamogeton liljebladiiWallman ex Rchb.
  • Potamogeton tataricusLess.
  • Potamogeton reflexusA.Benn.
  • Spirillus obtusifolius(Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) Nieuwl.

Potamogeton obtusifolius, known as blunt-leaved pondweed, [2] 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.

Aquatic plant plant that has adapted to living in an aquatic environment

Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes. A macrophyte is an aquatic plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating, and includes helophytes. In lakes and rivers macrophytes provide cover for fish and substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife.

A genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, as well as viruses, in biology. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.

Contents

Description

Blunt-leaved pondweed grows annually from turions and seed, producing branching plants with slender, flattened stems that have well-developed nodal glands (these appear as two raised bumps on the stem where the leaf attaches). The submerged leaves are long, rather grass-like, sessile, translucent leaves that are 48-85 (rarely up to 100) mm long and 1.5–3.55 mm wide and pale green, often with a very marked reddish or brownish tinge [3] and a pink tinge along the midrib. There are 1-2 lateral veins either side of the midrib. As the name suggests, the leaf tips are rather blunt, [3] though close inspection usually reveals a narrow point at the tip. The stipules are open. There are no rhizomes or floating leaves. Abundant turions are produced along the stem, especially in autumn as the plant disintegrates.

Turion (botany)

A turion is a type of bud that is capable of growing into a complete plant. A turion may be an underground bud.

In botany, stipule is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk. A pair of stipules is considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many species the stipules are inconspicuous or entirely absent. In some older botanical writing, the term "stipule" was used more generally to refer to any small leaves or leaf-parts, notably prophylls.

The flower spikes of blunt-leaved pondweed are rather short and dense, 4–9 mm long with 6-8 flowers in each. [3] Fruits, which are approximately 3 × 2 mm, are freely produced.

Blunt-leaved pondweed could be confused with other fine-leaved pondweeds within its range, especially Potamogeton berchtoldii and P. friesii, [3] but potentially also P. pusillus . The combination of open stipules, rounded tips to the leaves, dense flower spikes and a tendency to produce a mass of bushy growth at the surface all help to distinguish this plant, but use of a botanical key or flora is recommended.

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

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

<i>Potamogeton pusillus</i> species of 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.

Potamogeton obtusifolius is diploid, with 2n=26. [4]

According to a key monograph on the genus, no hybrids of Potamogeton obtusifolius have been confirmed. [5] However, P. × saxonicusHagstr. has been suggested to be the hybrid with P. pusillus. [1]

Taxonomy

Blunt-leaved pondweed was first described in 1823 by Franz Carl Mertens and Wilhelm Daniel Joseph Koch. [1] The specific name obtusifolius means 'blunt-leaved'. It is related to other fine-leaved pondweeds such as P. friesii and P. pusillus.

Wang et al., [6] based on DNA analysis have suggested that P. obtusifolius may have arisen through hybridisation between P. compressus and P. pusillus.

Distribution

Potamogeton obtusifolius has a wide global distribution, occurring in North America (Canada, northern USA), [7] Europe (Scandinavia, Central Europe, N Balkans, Great Britain, Ireland, France, N Spain), [8] Asia (NE China (Heilongjiang Province), Russia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Caucasus, Iran). [9]

Ecology and conservation

In Britain, P. obtusifolius occurs in a range of standing water habitats including ponds, ditches, canals [10] and shallow lakes, favouring circumneutral or slightly acidic waters. [3] It is strictly a lowland plant and rarely observed in running water, except where current speeds are very slow. Although widely distributed it has a patchy distribution and is not usually abundant at any individual site. Like other fine-leaved pondweeds, P. obtusifolius probably benefits from a certain amount of disturbance to suppress competing vegetation. It seems to favour smaller water bodies and apparently tolerates poor water quality, including turbid water, reasonably well. In spite of this, blunt-leaved pondweed does not usually proliferate in eutrophic lakes. It is possible that this species is rather sensitive to wind action.

In cultivation, P. obtusifolius leaves were eaten by three different species of chironomid (non-biting midge) larvae. [11]

Globally and in various national Red Lists, blunt-leaved pondweed is considered Least Concern. [12] However, blunt-leaved pondweed has suffered local declines and is Critically Endangered in Switzerland, Vulnerable in Germany, [12] Very Rare in Luxemburg, [13] listed as Endangered in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and Sensitive in Washington. [7]

It is considered to have declined in Britain, but is still widespread, [14] and listed as Least Concern. [15]

Cultivation

Blunt-leaved pondweed is not presently in cultivation. Although its wide ecological tolerance suggests it may not be difficult to grow, it would probably require a deeper substrate than is usual in most ponds. It can also be grown in aquaria by anchoring the turions in sand or mud. [11] It is also likely to compete poorly with other pond plants.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<i>Potamogeton crispus</i> species of plant

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

<i>Potamogeton natans</i> species of plant

Potamogeton natans, commonly known as broad-leaved pondweed, floating pondweed, or floating-leaf pondweed, is an aquatic species in the genus Potamogeton native to quiet or slow-flowing freshwater habitats throughout the Holarctic Kingdom.

<i>Potamogeton perfoliatus</i> species of 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 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 coloratus</i> species of 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 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 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 epihydrus</i> species of plant

Potamogeton epihydrus is a perennial aquatic plant known by the common name ribbonleaf pondweed, Nuttall's pondweed or in Britain and Ireland American pondweed. 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 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 compressus</i> species of plant

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

<i>Stuckenia</i> genus of plants

Stuckenia is a genus of flowering plants. It contains 32 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars found in the nearly worldwide seas. Pondweed is a common name for plants in this genus.

<i>Stuckenia vaginata</i> species of plant

Stuckenia vaginata, commonly called sheathed pondweed, big sheathed pondweed or large-sheathed pondweed is a water plant species that grows in fresh and brackish water in Europe, Northern Asia and North America. Sheathed pondweed is rare, but is not in the 2012 IUCN Red List.

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

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

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 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</i> × <i>angustifolius</i> species of plant

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

<i>Potamogeton friesii</i> species of 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. 1 2 3 The Plant List: Potamogeton obtusifolius. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic Gardens. Accessed November 20, 2014
  2. ↑ "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Preston, C.D. (1995). Pondweeds of Great Britain and Ireland. BSBI Handbook No. 8. London: Botanical Society of the British Isles.
  4. ↑ Kaplan Z., Jarolímová V., Fehrer J, 2013. Revision of chromosome numbers of Potamogetonaceae: a new basis for taxonomic and evolutionary implications. Preslia, 85, 421-482.
  5. ↑ Wiegleb G., Kaplan Z. 1998. An account of the species of Potamogeton L. (Potamogetonaceae). Folia Geobotanica, 33, 241-316.
  6. ↑ Wang Q.D., Zhang T., Wang J.B. 2007. Phylogenetic relationships and hybrid origin of Potamogeton species (Potamogetonaceae) distributed in China: insights from the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS). Plant Systematics and Evolution, 267, 65-78.
  7. 1 2 "Plants Profile for Potamogeton obtusifolius". United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  8. ↑ Anderberg, A.; Anderberg, A-L. "Trubbnate Potamogeton obtusifolius". Den Virtuella Floren.
  9. ↑ Guo, Y.; Haynes, R.R.; Hellquist, C.B.; Kaplan, Z. (2010). "Potamogeton". Flora of China. 23. pp. 108–114.
  10. ↑ Briggs J.D., Tandy C.E. 1987. Aquatic Plants in the Montgomery Canal. BSBI Welsh Bulletin, 45, 3-5 Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. 1 2 Moore E. 1913. The Potamogetons in relation to pond culture. Bulletin of the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, 33, 251-291.
  12. 1 2 Allen, D.J. (2011). "Potamogeton obtusifolius". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  13. ↑ Colling, G. (2005). "Red List of the Vascular Plants of Luxembourg" (PDF). Ferrantia. 42: 5–77.
  14. ↑ "Potamogeton obtusifolius". Online Atlas of the British and Irish flora.
  15. ↑ 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 Status7: 1–116. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.