# Plant ID



## davemonkey

I found this plant floating about in pieces while taking pictures of other aquatic plants. Anyone know what it is? (This is in South East Texas) . The leaves appear to be very 'spiny' and small. All I could find of it were bits and pieces, no long stems.


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## Zapins

Uh, very weird plant.

It almost looks like what hydrilla v. would look like if it grew emersed. Not sure what it is though.


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## davemonkey

Zapins said:


> Uh, very weird plant.
> 
> It almost looks like what hydrilla v. would look like if it grew emersed. Not sure what it is though.


That may be what it is. There was a dry-spell and most of the aquatic plants there had emersed growth on them. (Forgot to mention that.) The picture was taken 2 days after a 5-inch rain.


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## HeyPK

I don't think it is Hydrilla. It looks kind of like a club moss (Lycopodium)---a seedless vascular plant, and not aquatic. The picture is from 
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/plants/lycopodium-lucidulum060727-3857bchmtnz.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/plants/clubmosses.htm&usg=__u3MiiMwJfnxzD8dn-9b6OINlQtI=&h=481&w=500&sz=29&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=0VudZEmzcl520M:&tbnh=125&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3DLycopodium%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG


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## davemonkey

That sure looks alot like it, Paul. It says also that club mosses are found in forested areas, and this was a forested area that I was in (recently clear-cut and prepped for a re-plant) .


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## Zapins

Not to be difficult but I don't think it is a club moss. Mosses don't develop axial roots as the collected plant has (see top right of second picture - a small white root). Also the collected plant has spines on the leaves and I don't think club mosses have those.

Perhaps grow it out and maybe when it converts to submersed growth then we will have a better idea of what it is. Otherwise if it dies... then it wasn't aquatic


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## davemonkey

Zapins is being difficult! :wink:



Zapins said:


> Perhaps grow it out and maybe when it converts to submersed growth then we will have a better idea of what it is. Otherwise if it dies... then it wasn't aquatic


Mmmm. I didn't bring any home since I didn't find it all that attractive. But, I'll be going back there in a couple weeks to look at the tree plantings. I'll hunt in that same spot and see if I can find some more that has matured.

-Dave


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## HeyPK

Club mosses are not the same as mosses. They are seedless vascular plants, and they do have true roots, just as ferns do.


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## Cavan Allen

davemonkey said:


> Zapins is being difficult! :wink:
> 
> Mmmm. I didn't bring any home since I didn't find it all that attractive.
> 
> -Dave


Some of the most attractive plants don't look so hot when you find them. The first time we saw Rotala ramosior, most of it was unattractive, gangly submersed growth with long internodes and small leaves. Not at all what it can be if you take care of it! Most things are worth a shot, even if they don't look like Plant of the Year material right off the bat.


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