# Wild Plant ID, in Texas.



## RandallW201 (Jul 31, 2011)

Found these in the Llano River right in downtown Llano, TX.
Anyone know what they are?

Thanks!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The second one is a willow. The first one might be _Bacopa monnieri_ but the stem looks a little too thick.


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## RandallW201 (Jul 31, 2011)

Like a willow tree or some form of willow aquatic plant?


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Like a willow tree.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Looks like _Bacopa monnieri_ to me.


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## RandallW201 (Jul 31, 2011)

LOL, well I feel like a dork.
"Oh look, a willow tree!" 
Funny thing is, when I pulled it out from the water that's what I thought it resembled, but I didn't know they can grow fully submersed.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I know that the roots of a willow tree can grow submersed, but I have never seen a stem that grew submersed. What about the possibility that the stem grew emersed and then later somehow it got submersed? 

Someone should do an experiment: Willow stems are said to be easy to get rooted. Take about a 6 inch stem with leaves, place the cut end in several inches of water and keep it on the windowsill somewhere where it gets some sun and wait for roots to grow. When it is rooted, plant it submerged in an aquarium and see if it is able to grow.


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## RandallW201 (Jul 31, 2011)

Could be, the river did seem a little higher than usual


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## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

HeyPK said:


> I know that the roots of a willow tree can grow submersed, but I have never seen a stem that grew submersed. What about the possibility that the stem grew emersed and then later somehow it got submersed?
> 
> Someone should do an experiment: Willow stems are said to be easy to get rooted. Take about a 6 inch stem with leaves, place the cut end in several inches of water and keep it on the windowsill somewhere where it gets some sun and wait for roots to grow. When it is rooted, plant it submerged in an aquarium and see if it is able to grow.


Even if they did grow fully submersed (which I personally doubt), it's not a practical plant to maintain in an enclosed environment. Willow saplings can put on several feet of growth in a single year, they suck up water like it's going out of style, and they have massive root systems. One of the main practical uses of planting a willow tree is to dry out a swampy area of a property and turn it into usable land - the biggest drawback being that their root systems are notorious for cracking foundations.

Most likely scenario is that the branch grew above ground over the summer during a dry spell, and now that it's winter and the river has risen, it happened to end up underwater. A branch that size could easily grow in the course of a few months. Left underwater for awhile, it'll probably die off.


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## RandallW201 (Jul 31, 2011)

No worries I know better than to put a tree in my aquarium, lol.
Besides I didn't bring either of the plants back home. I figured if I decided I wanted some I know where to get them and it'll give me a reason to head back down there


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