# Plant identification resources



## donh1298 (Aug 4, 2011)

What are some good resources to help become proficient at identifying aquatic plants? I am currently using USDAs site https://plants.usda.gov/java/stateSearch APPW site https://idtools.org/id/appw/ and Googling it.

Photos are great but I would like to learn, for instance, the differences between species of Ludwigia or what plants are suitable for an aquarium. I posted about 17 plants today asking for ID. I have an idea on some but I'm never sure. So I put them here for someone to tell me for certain. It would be nice to be able to ID them myself.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

http://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants

This may help. It the only site I've found that is better than our own Plant Finder


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## donh1298 (Aug 4, 2011)

Michael said:


> http://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants
> 
> This may help. It the only site I've found that is better than our own Plant Finder


Thanks Michael. I remembered APC's Plant Finder after I posted this.


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## Gerald (Mar 24, 2008)

Here's a good scientific key to Southeast US species (Free Download), but you'll need a glossary of botanical terms to use it:

http://www.herbarium.unc.edu/FloraArchives/WeakleyFlora_2015-05-29.pdf

There's a key to AQUATIC plant families on pg 22-25. Unfortunately it does not have a complete description of each plant, so if you go down a wrong path in the genus & species keys, or the plant is missing a key feature, then it fails.

Radford Ahles & Bell (1968 ) is still the best book for describing all features of each plant in NC/SC (which includes the bulk of TN species). I usually start with Radford, then go to Weakley to see if names have changed or new species added. Many new invasives have entered since Radford's days.

Also Ernest O. Beal's Manual of Marsh and Aquatic Plants of NC (1977) -- nice line drawings of most (not all) species. It's like a subset of Radford focused on just the aquatics. But it wont help with non-aquatics that just happen to be growing in water!


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## donh1298 (Aug 4, 2011)

Thanks! I'll add it to my bookmarks.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

This guy teaches botany, not necessarily aquatics, on youtube
https://www.youtube.com/user/westoaklandturdunit

His language can get randy but it's funny.


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## donh1298 (Aug 4, 2011)

mistergreen said:


> This guy teaches botany, not necessarily aquatics, on youtube
> https://www.youtube.com/user/westoaklandturdunit
> 
> His language can get randy but it's funny.


I'll check him out. Thanks.


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## Am2020 (Sep 10, 2019)

The video link doesn't work for me. Tried searching YT for westoaklandturdunit but only found "crime pays but botany doesnt".


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

Am2020 said:


> The video link doesn't work for me. Tried searching YT for westoaklandturdunit but only found "crime pays but botany doesnt".


That's the right channel.


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