# Native Aquatic Plants in MD



## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

The other day Cavan Allen, krisw and myself went on a little photo safari. We started at the Patuxent Research Refuge's Visitor Center and then made our way over to Rock Creek Park to scour the edges of Needwood Lake.

_Callitriche sp._









_Lobelia cardinalis_ in full bloom is a sight to see. 









Another _Lobelia_ species.









_Ludwigia peploides_ spreads its way across the lake's surface.









_Proserpinaca palustris_ emerges from the lake bed.









A _Sphagnum_ moss species grew abundantly along the shores of the Patuxent's Cash Lake.









_Murdannia keisak_ (introduced) grows among some flowering _Utriculara_ species (most likely _gibba_). Also, laying flat on the surface of the water was one of many _Eleocharis_ species we saw. This was likely _parvulus_ or _acicularis_.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

nice, what references do you guys use for plant ID? I see a bunch of plants in the wild myself but can't tell what they are emersed.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

hooha said:


> nice, what references do you guys use for plant ID? I see a bunch of plants in the wild myself but can't tell what they are emersed.


www.alabamaplants.com and www.missouriplants.com are among the best internet resources.


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## fredyk (Jun 21, 2004)

Excellent, AaronT !


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## Fortuna Wolf (Feb 3, 2007)

Hi Aaron, have you tried out U. gibba in the aquarium? I know it has a terrestrial form but I don't know if the aquatic form is floating, affixed, or anchored. 

What people usually ID as U. gibba in the aquarium is actually U. olivaceae.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

From the pictures I have been able to find on Google Images, U. gibba looks very similar in its growth form to U. olivacea. Which ever species we have had, it is something that many of us have had at some time or other, and have managed to get rid of. It forms an untidy mat at the surface or grows among other plants in a tangle and is about as welcome as duckweed. Another plant like it is Eleocharis vivipara. By the way, I found a strange website called Galleria Carnivora that has a very large collection of Utricularia pictures:http://www.sarracenia.com/galleria/g124.html


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Yes, I have tried _Utricularia gibba_ in the aquarium, or at least something like it and certainly not on purpose. As HeyPK pointed out it becomes quite a nuisance after a while and is impossible to remove.


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I found some more of the _Utricularia_ when we were there and looked through the USDA database. It was branchier and more complex than _U. gibba_. I _think_ that it might be _U. geminiscapa_.

It was a fun trip! I hope this inspires more people to get out there.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

It is good to see that activity is picking up in the local biotopes forum. Collecting wild plants and growing them or trying to grow them is a fun part of the hobby.


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

I also find http://plants.usda.gov/ useful.


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

Sooo Aaron, when will you be planning a trip to Jaide and my neck of the sticks? :tea:


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

lauraleellbp said:


> Sooo Aaron, when will you be planning a trip to Jaide and my neck of the sticks? :tea:


I'll be in Orlando for a wedding in November. Then I'm driving up to Atlanta for the AGA budget willing.


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