# Products of Ditch Diving for ID



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

So, I've been a snail about posting this, but a few weeks back I went on a trip to the Carolinas and brought back some goodies. Most of them were easy IDs, but here are a few that may or may not be aquatic that had me stumped:

Plant #1:








roots:








The above came from a shady riverbank in Fair Bluff, NC (so, basically, the NC/SC border) and was in 3-4 inches of water, with nearby Fontinalis growth indicating that the river is several inches higher at some point in the year.

And one that I doubt is aquatic, but am curious about anyway:








Clearly something from Lythraceae (note the flowers and the quadrangular stems), but no idea which. It was growing along a riverbank, but not in a place that looked like it ever got submersed. Kinda wondering if it's something I should stick in the herb garden. If not, well, at least the little scalloped leaves are cute.

A third find from this morning, here in CT, in the town of Woodbury (Litchfield Cty.). This is more of a confirmation than an ID, as I'm reasonably sure it's _Rotala ramosior_, but a second or third opinion would be much appreciated (Cavan!).
















Interestingly, USDA PLANTS has no record of R. ramosior occurring in Litchfield County, and CAES doesn't have any records of it in the online version of their herbarium, or in their lake surveys.


----------



## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

I'm very tired and headed to bed so I'll be quick:

1. no idea. sterile is tough with unfamiliar stuff
2. Lamiaceae
3. not _Rotala ramosior_, but I don't know what it really is


----------



## asukawashere (Mar 11, 2009)

Ack, sorry, I did mean Lamiaceae. Thanks for pointing that out. I had Lythraceae on my mind due to the last plant... which, if you don't mind me asking (and at a time when you're not asleep), what makes you rule out R. ramosior? Do you at least think I'm on the right track looking at the Lythraceae? There aren't a ton of members of that family that are found this far north, which is one reason I was eyeing ramosior.

I suppose I'll just have to try and flower plant #1 (and the not-ramosior, for that matter).


----------

