# Some unknown natives



## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Fellow plant buffs...

This past weekend I kayaked at Beaver Lake in west/central Mass. Nice little lake with some decent aquatic flora and fauna. Found and id-ed several species of plants, most to large to be of any interest to me aquarium wise. I did also find several species that seems smaller and more interesting to me as a hobbiest. I do know know what any of them are so I need your help.

First let me give the approximate conditions:
Water temp in the low 70's
All plants were collected in >16" of water, most found in less than 10". All plants located on western shore (lake runs north-south) within a 50' stretch, in the shallows, full sun. Very sandy granite/quartz gravel in the 2mm or less grain size. Water very clear with little algae and no signas of eutriphication (spelling?).

First, a 2.5 gallon with the collected plants. Substrate is Eco-complete.









Second photo is of, I believe, an Elatine species. I base this on instinct and on th esmall round seeds at the base of the leaves; something I am familiar with in Elatine triandra. Note the plants seem to be about 1" tall max and all the specamines I saw were no larger. They were growing also in a sandy base but these species were grwoing among larger rock (fist size) and in a place wuth morning and day sun, no sun in the late day or evening.










I also collected a very small species of Eliocharis (hairgrass), again about 1" high with no larger specamines observed. Also there were large mats of what I believed to be a liliposis species (possibly carolinina?). This can be seen as the second from the left in the back left corner of the aquarium, in the top right of the photo above.

Also I colelcted what I believe to be a Polygonum sp, Certophyllum submersom, a Utriculatta(?) sp. and an unknown seen in the left of this photo...










Another shot of the very unknown plant...










This is not an eliocharis sp. as it might look in the photo. It has a very coarse, strond root system and all th etems frow from that, like a rosette plant..... The delicate branching stems ro not exhibit any ariel roots? this one really interests me

Any help IDing these would be most appreciated!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

How's this for the second photo?

http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/aquatics/elatinemin.html

If that's what it is, I'll be very interested to see how it does.

Does the plant in the middle of the last photo have little barbs on the leaves? I can't tell for sure by the photo, but it may be _Najas minor_.

The plant on the right of the third photo is probably a _Chara_ species, which is a freshwater macro alga. Does it have a noticeable odor?

I don't see anything that looks like a _Polygonum_. However, it looks like you might have a _Potamogeton_ or two (either side of the possible _Najas_ ).


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

Yep, elatine minima is definately the plant in the second photo, no mistaking it after seeing this photo...










As for th epossible Najas, I will have to check for the barbs although I don't recall any nore can I see in from about 5" away....

I did not nitice an oder to the Chara species but it seems like a tiny hornwort with hairy leaves and small balls in the "leaf groups" that remind me of bladderworts. I found it growning anchored ot th ebottom intermixed with the certophyllum submersom.

And yes, sorry I meant potamogeton not polygonum. Sorry it iwas late and I was sleepy. Any idea wha th epne in th every middle of the 3rd photo is?

Thanks for your help Cavan, I knew you would come through


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

That's probably a _Potamogeton_, but I have no idea which one.


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