Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Alismatales
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Aquatic weeds can clog irrigation channels and cover lakes, threatening crops and wildlife. Read more -- Outlawed! Federal Noxious Weeds: The Aquatics.
As a submersed, long-stemmed plant having many small narrow leaves, Lagarosiphon major might be confused with 3 other plants in the US. It is believed that this plant was in New Zealand for some time before it was recognized as a plant distinct from Elodea canadensis. Read more from the Center for Aquatic & Invasive Plants.
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lagarosiphon major
FAMILY
Hydrocharitaceae
COMMON NAME:
African Elodea, oxygen-weed, South African oxygen weed
No pictures are available at this time.
4145
Submersed aquatic (rooted); Forb
Perennial? Annual?
Dioecious
Non-native: southern Africa
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- SC Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Nuisance Species List, 2003
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- USDA Federal Noxious Weeds, 091820
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, spirally arranged
Margins minutely toothed
FLOWER:
Transparent to white or pinkish
3-merous
Inferior ovary
Unisexual
Flowers form in leaf axils, then rise to the surface where they sail about
FRUIT:
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".