Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Alismatales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Egeria densa
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Closely resembles Elodea, but has leaves in whorls of 5+ (vs. 3) and flowers have 3 bright white petals. Closely resembles the federal noxious weed Hydrilla but leaves have extremely slender marginal prickles and lack prickles along midvein beneath. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
This is the "Elodea" or "Anacharis" of the aquarium trade, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Egeria densa
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Egeria densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Egeria densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 028-01-001:
Egeria densa FAMILY Hydrocharitaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Anacharis densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Gray's Manual of Botany (Fernald, 1950)
Elodea densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Philotria densa
COMMON NAME:
Brazilian Waterweed, Brazilian Egeria, "Brazilian Elodea", "Anacharis"
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA / Selected Weeds of the US. 1970 swus_page_031
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JK Marlow jkm160914_140
September
SE-EPPC Aquatic Plant ID Workshop
This is the "Elodea" or "Anacharis" of the aquarium trade, per Weakley's Flora (2012).
)
JK Marlow jkm160914_141
September
SE-EPPC Aquatic Plant ID Workshop
Leaves mostly 2-3cm long, finely toothed w slender, weak teeth on the margins, per Weakley's Flora.
COMPARE
aquatic plants
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Egeria densa
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Egeria densa
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Egeria densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Egeria densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 028-01-001:
Egeria densa
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Anacharis densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Gray's Manual of Botany (Fernald, 1950)
Elodea densa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Philotria densa
2388
Submersed aquatic w flowers above the surface occasionally (rooted); Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Ponds and stagnant water of streams or rivers, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: South America
Uncommon
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- NC Department of Transportation
- SC Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Nuisance Species List, 2003
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Whorls of 4-6
Leaves sessile
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
White
3-merous
3 petals
9 fertile stamens on staminate flowers
Flowers in leaf axils
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama (Lovell, 2007) p40
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p424
- Invasive Exotic Plants of North Carolina (Smith, 2008) p096
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p392
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".