# San Marcos River, Texas 1/14/10: a few quick shots



## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

I went in search of some Fissidens fontanus at the San Marcos River in central Texas. Here are a few pictures and comments.

A miserable, cold, rainy afternoon insured a collection/inspection trip free of bubba cops with nothing better to do than hassle an aquarium hobbyist. Most interesting event: a fully clothed (conscious) college student obliviously floating downstream. I inquired, "good day for a dip in the river?" "Yup", came the answer with a strong Texas twang, "you look like you could use a swim too!" Though my pants' knees were soiled with mud (and probably more than a little goose crap) I politely declined.

Water sample from the river (spring-fed limestone aquifer, year-round temp= 72F):

pH: 7.0 (test kit and pH probe)
NO3: <5ppm
14 dKH
23 dGH

The San Marcos river has always struck me as a strange combination of "over-manicured" and "natural".









Areas around these stairwells proved to be lucrative for various mosses.









Texas wild rice (an endangered species) was surprisingly more common than I had been led to believe. Though it's still threatened by invasives, I'm happy to see this graceful native making a respectable showing.









The beautiful crystal clear water helped show off this pleasing (though noxious) display of H. polysperma and (what I take to be) various vals.









Plecos the size of small cats (for reference, these fish are 7 feet down from my foot).









Many interesting mosses (including copious F. fontanus) cling to the concrete pilings below the sidewalks bordering the river. I also found a few delicate clumps of riccia lodged in these mosses.










Target sighted...









Victory!


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## Tausendblatt (Sep 16, 2009)

That is a lovely kind of moss. Nice photoss as well.

That is really fissidens? WOW


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## Dryn (Sep 6, 2007)

I live in WV and our winters are too severe for most aquatic species... I am quite jealous. I've only collected a couple of species but only one ended up being aquatic. It turned out to be a postomogeton var. It would be awesome to just go out to the river and get some moss and other plants at will.


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## mindnova (Jan 22, 2008)

Yes I also live in WV and have two creeks running next to my house. They are sterile and I would have never dreamed of finding anything worth while. I envy you greatly.

What type of hassles do the cops give you?

The only hassle I have had was when I was checking water temps. and a DNR office demanded a fishing license. She has been trying to make a name for herself in the area. Thank God I had one that day. I usually just keep a notebook, camera and odds and ends.

Now days I don't fish, but still love being around the water.


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## ree123 (Jan 10, 2010)

Wow ! What most of us in colder climates wouldn't give to be on this expadition with you. I have been looking for someone who can supply me with some Hygro. polysperma and other Hygro's and the Vals to boot in the pictures were just fantastic. And just growing wild in the pictures ! What would it take to get some mail from you to make arrangements to go pluck some plants out for me and ship them my way in TN for my aquariums ? Please p.m. or e-mail me for a chat if you have a moment. Thanks Rick


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## aquatic_clay (Aug 17, 2009)

grak70 said:


> A miserable, cold, rainy afternoon insured a collection/inspection trip free of bubba cops with nothing better to do than hassle an aquarium hobbyist. Most interesting event: a fully clothed (conscious) college student obliviously floating downstream. I inquired, "good day for a dip in the river?" "Yup", came the answer with a strong Texas twang, "you look like you could use a swim too!" Though my pants' knees were soiled with mud (and probably more than a little goose crap) I politely declined.


Gotta love Texas it's one of the only places i can think of where you have to worry about cops getting on to you for collecting plants but you would never have to worry about a cop getting on to you for floating down the river fully clothed (unless you're over the 30 beer limit on the river of coarse).

Me and my girlfriend have been talking about getting down to that area to this spring or summer. Looks like i'll need to bring some baggies just incase i find something good in the river!


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi ree.

Thanks. I do feel very lucky to be in this area.

The plants were indeed beautiful, but H. polysperma is a federally listed noxious plant. I've no desire to go into hock for rearranging some weeds.  

I have not done much wild collecting, but my personal feelings are not to distribute a plant unless I can propagate it first. I fully intend to post some fissidens and other moss for sale or trade eventually, but not before I have grown out more than I need. That way, everyone can enjoy them without me raping nature. This river is bountiful, but it is finite.

Although many of the plants I photographed are legal to collect, the vallisneria sp. were in water far too deep for me to reach. I'll have to come back in summer when I can swim down to them and check em out!


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

> Me and my girlfriend have been talking about getting down to that area to this spring or summer. Looks like i'll need to bring some baggies just incase i find something good in the river!


Feel free and PM me if you feel like heading our way. The water's always warm, being a natural spring. The scenery tends to get a little better in late spring/summer if you catch my drift ;-)

A pair of swampers, a good trim kit&tongs, some trashy clothes and a towel will get you far.


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## Tausendblatt (Sep 16, 2009)

Dryn said:


> I live in WV and our winters are too severe for most aquatic species...


You're WRONG SON.

http://www.tropica.com/article.asp?type=aquaristic&id=541

Read it and not weep but REJOICE. I live in Fort Northmurray and it has been winter since late October, and there will be snow until April. There are MANY species here. I have identified over 20 truly aquatic species, including but not limited to:

various eleocharis
at least 2 milfoils
a dozen or so potamogetons
2 duckweed species
2 bladderwort species
2 or more callitriche species
hornwort
about 2 truly aquatic moss and many that can survive underwater for a while
a couple water lilies
saggitaria
hippuris vulgaris

If you have troubles finding aquatic plants, you either are looking in the wrong places or they were eradicated by some sort of external force... maybe poor water quality, or too rocky deep lakes. (ogliotrophic lake)

Pick a genus any genus... you will likely find it in W.V.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MYPI
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=POAM5


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Gotta go out of town, so I strung up the fissidens on a piece of wood and dumped it in. Not elegant, but it'll have a chance to grow while I'm out this week. Looks cool "waving in the breeze." The RCS are already going to work...


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

Nice!

Fissidens fontanus: in the southern and eastern U.S. states a very similar and closely related species occurs, often together with F. fontanus: F. hallianus (= F. manateensis).
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250075573


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## Francis Xavier (Mar 7, 2009)

Hey Grak70, I'm glad that my spots for collecting proved fruitful for you, even a year since I've been able to see them.

It's odd, I couldn't wait to get out of San Marcos, but seeing your photos of the river nearly brought a nostalgic tear to my eye.

I have to admit, I miss that river...not only a good source for a select amount of plants...but also a spot that attracts many beautiful women who go out to tan on hot days!


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks for the info miremonster. If anyone can identify what I *actually* collected as hallianus and not fontanus, I would be most grateful.

And many thanks to you Francis. I would not have found the riccia and some other unidentified mosses without your assistance. I agree that summer is definitely easier on the eyes. ;-)


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## miremonster (Mar 26, 2006)

> If anyone can identify what I *actually* collected as hallianus and not fontanus, I would be most grateful.


According to efloras.org (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250075573 etc.):

F. fontanus: 
Costa (midrib of the leaf) ending 15-35 cells before leaf apex (microscope needed!); sporophytes (spore capsules) 1-5 per stem, axillary (not on the top of the stem but in the leaf axils)

F. hallianus:
Costa ending 5-15 cells before leaf apex; sporophytes 1-2 per stem, terminal (= on the top of the stem).

Both belong to the subgenus Octodiceras of genus Fissidens, are true aquatics and were often not distinguished in the past.
I don't know how frequent spore capsules occur in these species.


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Just back to review my post and got to wondering: can fissidens sp. be cultured emersed? Any guidelines?


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

That's really awesome to find true Fissidens at the river. A few folks from the Houston area made a trip that way along with some others on this site and collected some great specimens, but I wasn't around then and wasn't sure what all they were finding. I know for a fact that they did NOT collect the infamous Cryptocoryne that is in the river; also I didn't realize H.polysperma was growing there. I'll have to head that way soon; it's been a long time since I've been to San Marcos.

Awesome find, and Thanks for posting!!


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi mudboots. I also didn't see the crypt. It seems the local DNR has done a pretty good job of eradicating it. The fissidens I collected is growing out slowly, but nicely. I might have to fashion it into a net/wall soon, a la:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/40170-moss-rope-ladder-4.html

The mini riccia I found didn't survive very well in my tank. I tried to culture it as a floating mat, but it just got really stringy and disintegrated.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

Very interesting idea (following the TPT link). I had never thought to used rope as a base for moss.


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## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

Very cool. I didn't know Cryptocoryne species grew in the United States. What species is it? Mudboots, have you ever found any?


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## grak70 (Jan 5, 2010)

Rumors I have heard imply wendtii, becketii, or some hybrid thereof. Nothing native certainly. Dispose of plants properly!


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## aru (Feb 23, 2010)

Good photos  It's interesting to see plecos and other fishes out of diferent place (aquariums).


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## BJRuttenberg (Sep 25, 2005)

Very cool! I wish you guys were around when I was living in Austin, Could have gone plant hunting together! I knew there was riccia in the SM river but didn't know there was fissidens. Great find and great pics!


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## JakeJ (Apr 14, 2010)

Why do I have to live in WI!!!!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

JakeJ said:


> Why do I have to live in WI!!!!


You aren't nearly so bad off as you think...


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## PeterE (Feb 9, 2010)

JakeJ, we northerners have all sorts of cool stuff. Just look in your lakes and ditches.


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## aquatic_clay (Aug 17, 2009)

Hey grak, how well did this grow out in your tank now that it's had some time to get going? I'm heading out to colorado bend out side of lampasas and san saba tomorrow and will be out there for 3 days camping out on the river and hope to make a similar discovery there


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The San Marcos has Cryptocoryne beckettii. When I was there in 2004 people were trying to remove it because they thought it was harmful to the Texas wild rice. I am not sure how it could be, because it is a low growing plant, and the rice could easily overgrow it. The picture shows a large bed of C. beckettii, consisting of thousands of plants in the San Marcos.


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## Garuf (Mar 23, 2008)

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w197/anthonyvh/DSCN0748.jpg
They're not natives I'm guessing? They've impressive finds regardless! I'm envious of your plant availability.

I can't wait to see more pictures!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

In the '50's and '60's there was an aquatic plant wholesale facility along the San Marcos, about a mile down from the park where canoes put in. They grew their plants right in the river, and they are definitely the source of the C. beckettii, and probably many other species still in the river today. I have seen, for example, Ceratopteris cornuta in the river, which is definitely not a native plant. Very likely the Hygrophila polysperma also came from the facility.


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## BobAlston (Jan 23, 2004)

HeyPK

can you tell me more about the aquatic plant grower who used the San Marcos river to cultivate plants?

Bob


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## Lakeplants (Feb 21, 2011)

Dryn said:


> I live in WV and our winters are too severe for most aquatic species...


Our winters here are more severe than WV, but MN/WI/MI combined have about 120 distinct aquatic species, with many additional variations and subspecies. It's amazing how well these species can tolerate the long winter.


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## Lakeplants (Feb 21, 2011)

JakeJ said:


> Why do I have to live in WI!!!!


Jake, I created a thread that might surprise you. Many of the species are different than the south, but we have a surprisingly diverse aquatic plant community here in Wisconsin.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...e-northern-climate-aquatic-plants-abound.html


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