ID a plant from a brackish creek

Cory · Post by **Cory** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:13 pm

Without a picture, I was wondering if someone would be willing to venture a guess about a plant growing SE of baltimore in a brackish creek. It appears very similar to myrophyllum mato...grows 2-3' tall most of the bottom was burnt out but the top was green spreading along the surface. My vantage point wasn't good but it appeared that multiple stems came from a single root, possibly a cluster though. This was collected in Pasadena, MD.

Thanks
C

SCMurphy · Post by **SCMurphy** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 7:13 am

How would you describe the leaf whorl? Is it many small leaves coming off the main stem? Is it a pair of fans on opposite sides of the stem?

Cory · Post by **Cory** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:43 am

The piece i got was small so i'm not sure if this is idiciative of the whole plant, 3 leaves come from a single node. I see this on 3 nodes spaced tightly, but this is the top of a plant.

The leaves are maybe an inch long, with needles slightly offset. The main stem is green, and healthy.

SCMurphy · Post by **SCMurphy** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:16 pm

could be:

Myriophyllum spicatum good bet
Myriophyllum aquaticum not enough leaves I think
Myriophyllum pinnatum not enough leaves I think
Myriophyllum heterophyllum not enough leaves I think
Myriophyllum humile small plant with three leaves per node, probably not
Myriophyllum tenellum probably not
Myriophyllum verticillatum good bet with three leaves
Myriophyllum sibiricum don't know

Probably not:

Cabomba any species
Ceratophyllum demersum
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Cory · Post by **Cory** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 12:44 am

Wow Sean, I wish i had that kinda knack for field id. I told him off the bat it was possibly a myriophyllum species. He sugguested it maybe ceratophyllum, if you could indulge me, why do you suspect it is not.

It was curious that these showed up, he'd never seen them in the water in 5 years or more, possibly a new introduction or a sign of a healthier water system.

He is a doctor in pharmacognosy, so very much into plants or at least their medicinal history. Amazing how far i can distance myself from work on a job interview.

If the stem grows for me i'll show it to you at a meeting in the future.

SCMurphy · Post by **SCMurphy** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 7:00 am

Because it sounded like you said the plant was rooted. Ceratophyllum demersum is usually free floating.

Cory · Post by **Cory** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:46 pm

Yeah it was rooted as far as i could tell, thanks again.

ID a plant from a brackish creek

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