11 replies to this topic

[snarkinturtle]

Excited to have found this forum. I have a long-standing interest in native fishes. I have recently begun keeping a planted tank where I have been doing some experimenting with native plants. Ultimately, I would like to do an entirely native species aquascape. I would like some help IDing a couple species of mosses:

 

 

 

 

The pool moss came from a submersed log in a vernal pool at the edge of a large marsh in southern Ontario. It's been growing in my tank (low tech) for awhile where it looks like this:

 

Under (home-brew quality) magnification:

 

 

 

 

[snarkinturtle]

The 'stream moss' came from a wooded stream over limestone in southern Ontario.

 

 

 

In situ:

 

 

 

 

In tuperware:

 

 

Under magnification:

 

 

 

Finally, here is a submersed macrophyte (although it looks like it probably would typically be litoral or emergent) growing in the same place as the stream moss. I've looked through Wetland Plants of Ontario and can't find it but that is a sort of starter field guide and it's missing a lot of rare and introduced species.

 

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[gerald]

I don't know what mosses those are, but leaf shape and leaf density along the stems can vary based on growing conditions, just as it does in other plants.  I've seen wild-collected aquatic mosses (might be Fontinalis or Fissidens ?) put out new growth in aquariums that looked quite different from their original wild branches.

 

On that vascular plant, can you get some closer photos showing leaf shape, veins (above and below), leaf arrangement on stem, flowers, fruits, or anything else? Does ot root at the nodes or only at the bottom?

[snarkinturtle]

I will try to get back this weekend for more photos.

[snarkinturtle]

More photos of the macrophyte:

 

 

 

There was a lot of it in the stream but it took me awhile to find a single flower:

 

 

Also, I found some sporophytes of the stream moss where it covered a small boulder protruding from the water:

 

Hope these help. 

[gerald]

That's better.  Plant looks like Lindernia dubia (or some close relative).  Still cant help with the moss ... sorry.

[snarkinturtle]

Thanks gerald. It does look similar based on the photos I googled except that the flower of my plant lacks the elongate tube. I tried to take a closer photo but it turned out blurry (not sure why I didn't use flash). The growth habit of this plant was kind of like watercress in it had a lot of aerial-type aquatic roots but wasn't securely attached to the substrate and was almost mat forming.

 

When I went back and thinking about it more afterwards, I realized that I have seen this species or one like it before about 400 km away in SW Ontario on NW shore of Lake Erie in a ditch. It formed floating mats there. I looked back through my photos and found a couple. In this case the growth is not shaded and instead is in direct sunlight:

 

 

[gerald]

How about Gratiola?  Gratiola virginica is a common one in my area; not sure what spp are in Ontario.

[smilingfrog]

Could it be ​Veronica anagallis-aquatica, or V. americana​?  My book says they usually have blue flowers but sometimes white.  No idea on the moss.

[gerald]

Yup, Veronica may be a better possibility.  One of your photos shows multiple flowers clustered on a spike, which Veronica does.  Gratiola flowers are more spread out, just 1 or few at each node.  I'm wondering if the last photo (with red center veins) might be something different from the ones above, or just submersed vs emergent variation?

[snarkinturtle]

Thank you very much to you both. I think Veronica catenata (= ​Veronica anagallis-aquatica?) is the closest match. The Minnesota Wildflowers page has a photo of a colony that looks pretty similar to my last set of images. Also, the description at Michigan flora is pretty bang on for the first set of images:

 

This is quite a variable species. Most of our specimens are ± glandular-pubescent in the raceme and on the upper part of the stem (var. glandulosa Farw.) The lower leaves and leaves on basal offshoots sometimes are short-petioled. Rarely plants have alternate racemes, as in V. scutellata. Submersed plants (especially in flowing water) frequently have very limp and rather elongate aquatic leaves; these are opposite so such plants ought not be confused with a Potamogeton, which they might otherwise resemble.

 

[gerald]

Great!  sorry I sent you off in the wrong direction with Lindernia and Gratiola.