Rank Species | Genus Elodea Higher classification Waterweeds | |
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Similar Waterweeds, Elodea canadensis, Egeria densa, Lagarosiphon major, Hydrocharitaceae | ||
Elodea nuttallii is a species of waterweed known by the common name western waterweed or Nuttall's waterweed. This is a perennial aquatic plant which is native to North America where it grows submersed in lakes, rivers, and other shallow water bodies. It is also found in Eurasia, where it is commonly weedy; it is not known as a weed species in its native range. It is sometimes used as an aquarium plant.
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Description
It is similar to its relative, Elodea canadensis. However the leaves taper to an acute point.
It has a thin branching stem with whorls of flat leaves at intervals. Some leaves are recurved and twisted, with minute teeth.
It bears tiny flowers, the staminate ones abscissing from their stalks and floating away from the plant. It flowers from May until October. In Europe nearly all individuals are female, only some places with male plants are known.
Distribution
The first european evidence of Elodea nuttallii was probably 1914 in England, though it had been determined wrongly as Hydrilla verticillata. It is a invasive species to Europe and is now covering practically the whole continent.
