Potamogeton pulcher

Rhizomes present. Cauline stems terete, conspicuously spotted, 8–95 cm; nodal glands absent. Turions absent. Leaves both submersed and floating, spirally arranged. Submersed leaves petiolate, lax; stipules deliquescent, inconspicuous, convolute, free from blade, light to dark-brown, not ligulate, 0.7–1.2 cm, not fibrous, not shredding at tip, apex obtuse; petioles 0.5–4.5 cm; blade dark green, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, often arcuate, 3.5–13.8 cm × 60–165 mm acute, base acute to rounded, without basal lobes, margins entire, crispate, apex not hoodlike, acute to obtuse, lacunae in 2–5 rows each side of midrib; veins 7–19. Floating leaves: petioles continuous in color to apex, 1–16.5 cm; blade adaxially light to dark green, lanceolate to round-ovate, 2.5–8.5 cm × 11–44 mm, base rounded to cordate, apex acute to rounded; veins 15–21. Inflorescences unbranched, emersed; peduncles not dimorphic, terminal or axillary, erect to ascending, cylindric, 3.3–9.4 cm; spikes not dimorphic, cylindric, 17–36 mm. Fruits sessile, dark green to dark-brown, ovoid to obovoid, turgid, abaxially keeled, laterally ridged, 5–6.5 × 4.1–5 mm, lateral ridges without points; beak erect, 0.5 mm; embryo with 1 full spiral. Chromosome number apparently unknown not available.

Phenology: Flowers summer–fall.
Habitat: Stagnant to slow-flowing waters of streams, lakes, ponds, and small rivers
Elevation: 0–700 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

N.B., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Potamogeton pulcher is similar in morphology to P. amplifolius and occurs in similar habitats. Potamogeton pulcher differs from P. amplifolius by the former having lanceolate to linear-lanceolate submersed leaves with fewer than 19 veins, whereas the latter has ovate submersed leaves with more than 19 veins.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

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