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.
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).
Pondweed refers to many species and genera of aquatic plants and green algae:
Corallorhiza striata is a species of orchid known by the common names striped coralroot and hooded coralroot. This flowering plant is widespread across much of southern Canada, the northern and western United States, and Mexico. It lives in dry, decaying plant matter on the ground in pine and mixed coniferous forests, and it obtains its nutrients from fungi via mycoheterotrophy.
Stuckenia pectinata, commonly called sago pondweed or fennel pondweed, and sometimes called ribbon weed, is a cosmopolitan water plant species that grows in fresh and brackish water on all continents except Antarctica.
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.
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.
Potamogeton illinoensis, commonly known as Illinois pondweed or shining pondweed, is an aquatic plant. It provides food and cover for aquatic animals.
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.
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.
Potamogeton nodosus is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names longleaf pondweed and Loddon pondweed. It is native to Eurasia and the Americas, where it is widespread and can be found in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and streams. This is a perennial herb producing a thin, branching stem easily exceeding a meter in maximum length. The leaves are linear to widely lance-shaped and up to 15 centimeters long by 4 wide. Both floating leaves and submerged leaves are borne on long petioles, a distinguishing characteristic. The inflorescence is a spike of many small flowers arising from the water on a peduncle.
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 compressus is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names grass-wrack pondweed, flatstem pondweed and eel-grass pondweed.
Stuckenia is a genus of flowering aquatic plants. It contains approximately 30 species that grow in shallow water. Pondweed is a common name for plants in this genus.
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.
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.
Potamogeton ogdenii, common name Ogden's pondweed, is a perennial plant native to North America.
Potamogeton confervoides, common names pondweed, alga-like pondweed, algae-like pondweed, and Tuckerman's pondweed is a species of plant found in North America. It is listed as endangered in Connecticut, as a special concern in Maine, as threatened in Massachusetts, New York (state), Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. It is listed as historical in Rhode Island.
Potamogeton strictifolius, common names straight-leaved pondweed, pondweed,straight-leaf pondweed, and narrow-leaved pondweed, is a species of plant found in North America. It is listed as endangered in Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, and in New York (state). It is listed as possibly extirpated in Maine, and presumed extirpated in Ohio.
