Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Philydrum lanuginosum
FAMILY
Philydraceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
New to North America and potentially quite invasive. If anyone sees this species it should be reported to the US Department of Agriculture.
Please contact Tony Koop (anthony.l.koop@aphis.usda.gov) and Jonathan Jones (jonathan.m.jones@aphis.usda.gov).
Learn more about Woolly Frogsmouth from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Philydrum lanuginosum
FAMILY
Philydraceae
COMMON NAME:
Woolly Frogsmouth, Frogmouth, Woolly Waterlily
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Keith Bradley kab_philydrum_6152
June Beaufort County SC
Prefers full sun to half shade, per Pest Alert: Wooly Frogs Mouth.
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Keith Bradley kab_philydrum_6780
June Beaufort County SC
Flowers borne in the axils of spathe-like bracts, per Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
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Keith Bradley kab_philydrum_6806c
June Beaufort County SC
Multiple yellow flowers borne on a simple (sometimes few-branched) spike, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
COMPARE
aquatic plants
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_b2
August Pender County NC
Found mostly along margins but can grow in up to 2' of water, per Pest Alert: Wooly Frogs Mouth.
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_b3l
August Pender County NC
Density of flowering stems in a Pender County population.
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_b3r
August Pender County NC
Fruiting stems with capsules that have opened and dispersed their seeds.
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_dehcaps
August Pender County NC
The 3-valved capsules (here dehisced) contain 100s-1000s of tiny seeds, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_flower
August Pender County NC
Flowers have only one stamen, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Anthony L. Koop alk_planuginosum_habit
August Pender County NC
Habit (here one square meter contains about 14 clumps, some with 3-4 plants).
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1582
August Pender County NC
Philydrum lanuginosum along the shore of a pond.
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1583
August Pender County NC
Flowers last only 1 day and are nectarless, scentless and self-pollinating, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1585
August Pender County NC
Leaves are linear, rather spongy-thickened, relatively flat, 30-70cm long, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1586
August Pender County NC
Seeds germinate on water-logged soil & underwater, and seedlings can float, per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1588
August Pender County NC
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1594
August Pender County NC
Dust-like seeds dispersed by water (and possibly by birds, wind & animals), per Weed Risk Assessment for Philydrum lanuginosum (Philydraceae) - Woolly frogs mouth.
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1598
August Pender County NC
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1871
August Pender County NC
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Bridget Lassiter brl_1881
August Pender County NC
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Mark Garland and Doug Goldman dgo_170919_011_sm_b
August Pender County NC
Seeds mostly 0.6-0.8mm long, here seen at 70x magnification.
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Mark Garland and Doug Goldman dgo_170919_013_sm_b
August Pender County NC
These seeds photographed using a microsope at a magnification of approx 35x.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Philydrum lanuginosum
FAMILY
Philydraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Philydrum lanuginosum
FAMILY
Philydraceae
4074
Emergent aquatic (rooted, but seedlings can float); Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Shores of depression ponds, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: tropical Asia & Australia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
LEAVES:
Simple - flat and rather spongy-thickened
Alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Yellow
Bilaterally symmetrical
2 outer tepals, yellow, petal-like
2 inner tepals basally fused to stamen
1 stamen
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Flowers in axils of spathe-like bracts, in a spike
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
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".