# Help with ID of plant in Watauga River, Tennessee



## killiedave57 (Dec 25, 2014)

I was recently in Bristol Tn. (flyfishing) on the Watauga River, just below the dam, and I noticed a plant growing near the bank.... I did not manage to get photos of it but will try to describe....
the water temps were about 48 degrees f. it is bottom release so temps maintain a cool temp...

there was some elodea growing in the same area...

it was submerged, growing near the bottom, and i suspect, when there is more light/temps, it may brow taller, but it was growing in groupings.... it had pairs of lateral leaves coming off the stem, and the leaves were about 2-3? long... the leaf petals themselves tended to be growing in a corkscrew type fashion, in fact the leaves were about the same width as corscrew val... overall the plant tended to be a dark green... the stem was fairly thin, and appeared to have roots...
the tendency of the plant was to grow sort of parallel to the bottom, ie. growing laterally, rather than straight up...

If anyone has any idea what plant this could be, i would greatly appreciate it.... because of the situation, i was not able to collect any of this plant, but because there was a lot of it growing in this area, it wouldn't be a problem in the future...
however... I want to understand what it is, and whether it is invasive, or not...


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

A plant that comes to mind according to your description is _Potamogeton crispus_. It's a beautiful plant, but notoriously invasive. It's hard to say whether it is indeed this plant without seeing a photo first.


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## killiedave57 (Dec 25, 2014)

Thanks Darksome.... I have since had a fellow aquarist, (who kayaks regularily) come to a similar conclusion.
My bad for not trying to take a pic but i wasn't in a position to do so at the time. The determination is what i feel is correct, and wonder if it will do well in warmer waters.... Finding that it is very invasive, makes me put on the brakes though....


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