# hygrophila, hairgrass?



## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Yesterday I went to a local lake and I found two plants...one of them looks like a hygrophila except the patterns on the leaf are not what are typically found on hygros and the leaves alternate, the smaller plants were submerged while the bigger plants were sticking out (water edge). I'm not sure if it's even entirely aquatic. The second one was totally submerged and it looks like some type of grass...I thought maybe hairgrass but the blades are not as thin. It's about 2" tall.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

The first looks like a _Rumex sp_., the second like Carpetgrass (or Centipedegrass, or St. Augustine, all very similar except for their seedheads). You'll have to find out if either are typically found in your area. Neither are true aquatics (unless I'm wrong on my possible ID's, which I may be) but can thrive in wet areas.

-Dave


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

I looked them up on calflora and other local resources and neither of the species you mentioned have ever been spotted. The grass I know is fully aquatic since there were small patches of it going along the lake and since we have been in a drought for quite some time, I highly doubt that it isn't, otherwise it would be above the water level...if not entirely out of the water. Thanks anyway.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

How about Juncus repens? It's a submersible dwarf rush that looks very grass-like.

-Dave


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

The grass-like one looks like creeping rush (Juncus repens); I see it pretty often and even have a little in my son's 20 gallon npt. I just realized that I didn't even look at the other plant.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

For the other plant, it's hard to say. If it's got a tap root you might try looking into Rumex altissimus. It is not generally adapted to inundation or life in submersed conditions, but you never know. With CO2 injection and high lighting a lot of plants that won't do well sumersed in nature make fairly decent aqaurium plants, like many Polygonum species or Diodia virginiana.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I think you're probably right that the second plant is a _Juncus_, but I think it probably isn't _J. repens_. It looks a bit too stout. I'm not so sure it's possible for any of us to say here what species it is yet, especially without flowers.

The other one? I'm not sure. Inflorescence?


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

I came to a similar conclusion yesterday about the grass plant. Grasses are only found in three families and juncus seems more probable or maybe even cyperaceae. Today I just noticed a new small blade of the grass coming through, the older blades seem to be melting away...adjusting perhaps?

mudboots you are right about being given the right conditions, semi-aquatic plants might survive. I put the stem plant in one of my tanks with higher light and higher CO2 concentration and to my surprise it started pearling, so that in itself might be a good sign. Am I wrong to make an assumption so soon? Both of these plants are in the same tank. 

The leaf pattern on the stem plant really puzzles me though, and there's something very bamboo-like about it, which is very contradicting. New leaves come from "within" the stem itself only to unfold themselves as they reach the top...not sure if you understand what I mean or even picture it. All I know is that it might be a dicot.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

Yesterday, I noticed that the lower part of the stem plant is starting to disintegrate, this could only mean that it is transforming into the submersed form...I hope that if it does end up growing immersed, it will be easier to identify.


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