CURLED PONDWEED

Potamogeton crispus

Pondweed Family [Potamogetonaceae]

sex

19th May 2018, Staveley Basin, Chesterfield Canal.

Photo: © RWD

It is robust and grows to 1.5m. There may be three specimens here coming from roots at the bottom.

19th May 2018, Staveley Basin, Chesterfield Canal.

Photo: © RWD

The leaves, which are all submerged, between 5 to 12mm wide (extremes 3-18mm wide), 2.5 to 9.5cm long and without stalks and distinctly crinkled at their edges. They are branched.

19th May 2018, Staveley Basin, Chesterfield Canal.

Photo: © RWD

The stems are slightly compressed (aka flattened) - not that you can discern that feature in any of these photos. A bunch of florets just emerges above the water meniscus in the centre.

19th May 2018, Staveley Basin, Chesterfield Canal.

Photo: © RWD

The leaves are usually blunt at the tip but apparently it is only the upper leaves which are sinuous aka undulate or crinkled and also have fine teeth not discernible on this photo. These have between 3 and 5 veins along their length and tiny holes (aka lacunae) along each side of the midrib. Also, you may not discern them from these photos, they have stipules which are between 4 and 17mm long where they abut the stem.

The flowers (maybe fruits, which will be 4 to 6mm - but it is probably too early in the cycle for those) is to be seen poking just above the surface of the water.

Hybridizes with :

Hairlike Pondweed (Potomogeton trichoides) to produce Potomogeton × bennettii which is extremely local in Central Scotland

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : the crinkled leaves.

It is native growing in ponds, canals, lakes, streams and rivers occurring in frequently throughout the British Isles but rare in Northern Scotland.

Potamogeton

crispus

⇐ Global Aspect ⇒

Potamogetonaceae

Distribution
family8Pondweed family8Potamogetonaceae
BSBI maps

Potamogeton
(Pondweeds)