Plant and Algae Identification

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5 Algae (More Common) Chara Algae Filamentous Algae Starry Stonewort  Macro Algae  AKA “pond scum” or “slime” Invasive  Gray-green or yellow  Often mistaken for a plant.  Greenish mats upon the  Long uneven branches that look  Musky odor and gritty, bristly water’s surface. angular at each joint. feel  Begins its growth along the  May have one star-shaped, cream edges or bottom of the pond colored bulb at the base of each cluster of branches.  “mushrooms” to the surface  Similar in appearance to Chara. Algae (Less Common) Pithophora “Horsehair” Planktonic “Pea Soup” Algae Lyngbya Algae  Commonly grows along the bottom  A microscopic form of algae,  This is a type of blue-green algae suspended in the upper few feet of water. of ponds  Lays on the bottom of the pond  Resembles pads of steel wool  This algae often reaches bloom ranging from blueish-green, to  proportions in warm waters. black, to gray in color.  This algae will form mucilage This algae has a high level of  Some forms of this algae reproducive cells and is difficult to control. can be toxic. masses causing the algae to rise to the surface and also giving it  Field testing available high resistance to chemical control.

7 Plants Water Buttercup Southern Naiad Eel Grass  Submersed stem that is erect  Ribbon-like leaves, opposite or in  Appears in mid to late June, has in water. whorls of three, mostly less than 1/2 roots buried in mud with tufts of inch long. ribbon-like, flaccid leaves.  Tufts of thread-like leaves alternate along the stem.  Single seeds are found encased in the  It has horizontal stem system leaf sheath. connecting tufts of leaves.  Conspicuous yellow or white flowers emerge from the  Southern Naiad reproduces by seeds  Flower visible later in summer water. and fragmentation. supported by a coiled stalk.  Often confused with sago pondweed and Widgeon Grass. American Pondweed Clasping-Leaf Pondweed Sago Pondweed  Usually found close to shore  Wide, wavy leaves with a broad base  A perennial plant that has no floating leaves.  Features floating leaves that are which appears to extend three- oval with base tapered to distinct quarters of the way around the stem.  The stems are thin, long and highly branching, tapering to a petal.  The upper stem is commonly point.  Generally, plant has sparse branched and leafy.  The leaves grow in thick layers and originate from a sheath. leafing. Leaves alternately  Plants grow a calcium coating on the arranged on stem. leaves throughout the summer months.

9 Plants Coontail Lily Pads Northern Watermilfoil  A non-rooted submerged plant.  A floating leaf plant with leaves  Unlike Eurasian Watermilfoil, look Leaves are dark green in color that are oval to elliptical with for dark-green feathery leaves and arranged in whorls on the smooth, un-lobed edges. that are grouped in fours around stem. a hollow stem.  A slimy, gelatinous coating covers  Spacing between leaf whorls is the underside of the leaf and stem.  Leaves are made up of 5 to 10 highly variable and have forking pairs of leaflets. of the leaves.  A white or yellow flower is produced.  Leaves are rigid when removed from water and stems. Eurasian Watermilfoil Elodea Curly-Leaf Pondweed Invasive  A submersed weed with broad oval Invasive leaves, usually three in number,  Stalks of tiny, reddish flowers arranged in whorls around the stem.  Leaves often look “crinkled” and may extend above or on the are thin and membranous with water surface.  Whorls are compact near the growth veins plainly visible. tip with spacing between the whorls  Plants may reach lengths of 10 gradually increasing further down the  Appears early in the spring. ft. or more. Plant stems and stem. leaves may become calcified in  Very fast growing and easy to kill hard water.  Differs from Hydrilla with three leaves and smooth texture on leaf.  Has been shown to hybridize with Northern Milfoil.

11 Plants Duckweed Watermeal Fanwort (Cabomba)  Small floating green leafs that  The smallest of flowering plants, Invasive are often mistaken for algae. granular in size, is usually abundant  A submerged weed except for a few small alternately arranged  Reproduction is by means of when present and displays no roots. elongated floating leaves. fragmentation. Duckweed tends  Watermeal tends to grow in quiet,  The submerged leaves are opposite, attached by a single to grow in quiet, undisturbed undisturbed water. petiole, but above the petiole form a finely divided \"fan-shaped\" leaf. water.  Watermeal is an aggressive invader  Often duckweed is found in of ponds and is often mixed in with ponds mixed with Watermeal. Duckweed. Plants (Emergent) Cattails Phragmities Flowering Rush  A long and slender plant with Invasive Invasive grass like stalks up to 10 feet in height.  Fast growing aggressive plant that can  Can be mistaken for a common  Inhabits wet lowlands and water take over take wetlands and beaches. reed until flowers appear. up to 4 feet deep.  Can grow up to 18 feet tall.  Blooms between July and August  Cattails also provide good cover for wildlife.  Require repeated treatments to con-  Grows along wet shorelines or in trol. shallow water  Do not cut until plant is dead or before seeds form on top.

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