11 replies to this topic

[johnnymax]

I collected these floating on Lake Charles Louisiana. It was after a heavy rain, so I assume they washed down from the bayous.

There are two different types of floating plants.

The larger ones are the plants I am asking about.

Can anyone identify them?

 

 2019-06-30 14.32.53.jpg   156.59KB   3 downloads

[Matt DeLaVega]

Frogbit I think.

[mattknepley]

DLV could be right on this one.  Kinda looks like it to me, but that's all I'm really brave enough to say.  Here's a link to a brief Frogbit thread from a year or so ago.  http://forum.nanfa.o...ers/?hl=frogbit

[WheelsOC]

Could be invasive frogbit, or its native cousin spongeplant.

 

Here are some photos of each for diagnostic and/or entertainment purposes only:

 

Limnobium laevigata (Frogbit)

 

 

 

 

 

Limnobium spongia (Spongeplant)

 

 

 

 

L. spongia usually has that rough, rusty-colored spongy texture under the leaves, or at least some reddish brown on the underside of leaves and stems. L. laevigata does not.

 

 

 

Either one makes an excellent float plant for ponds or larger tanks. In fact, if it's spongia you might want to keep and propagate some for trade in the hobby. Frogbit is more popular, but there's a niche for native NA plants.

[mattknepley]

Nice, Wheels.  That's a great comparison/contrast post for telling these two apart.  Happily, my stuff was native.  It grew like gangbusters in a dimly lit aquarium.  Forget what I did to make it crash.  Next time I come across it I do intend to scoop some up!

[gerald]

I dont think Johnny's plant is frogbit (neither the US native nor S.Amer one).  Looks like it has a fold down the middle where water droplets collect; Limnobium doesn't do that.  Could it be giant Salvinia (fuzzy on top)?  I can't get a good sense of scale in Johnny's pic.  If the smaller plants are duckweed, then Salvinia would make sense.  You can also try this USDA aquatic plant key:  http://idtools.org/id/appw/index.php

[mattknepley]

Good observation, Gerald.  I was actually thinking the smaller plants in the top photo looked like that Salvinia even I can't kill.  Forget which one.  Has a real neat top texture, like you said, but if you let it get too thick it casts a funky dimness in the tank...

[Matt DeLaVega]

https://plants.ifas....lvinia-molesta/

 

That's it Gerald. Good call.

[johnnymax]

https://plants.ifas....lvinia-molesta/

 

That's it Gerald. Good call.

 

That is defintely it!

Here is a blow up

Thanks

Attached Files

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[johnnymax]

Now that it has been identified as an invasive, I will destroy it.

[gerald]

But keep the Azolla!

[johnnymax]

But keep the Azolla!

 

YES!