Jump to content


Photo

Headwaters Spring Plant


  • Please log in to reply
7 replies to this topic

#1 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 05 January 2012 - 09:14 PM

I found this growing in the local swamp/springs area that is the headwaters of my local creek. In the spring this area is a swamp/pond looking area... this winter is was a standing stream bed... with this stuff growing submerged on the margins.

I converted another tank to soil substrate and planted this at one end about a week ago... seems to be doing OK so far at one end of a 55 gallon tank... Ignore the brown dust on the lower leaves that is just the last of the fine particulate settling out.

So what is it... Looking at my "Through the Looking Glass... A Field Guide to Aquatic Plants" I might come up with it being a type of water starwort (Callitriche)?
Attached File  id1.jpg   157.17KB   2 downloads
Attached File  id2.jpg   163.83KB   0 downloads
Attached File  id3.jpg   141.71KB   0 downloads
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#2 Guest_kamikazi_*

Guest_kamikazi_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 10:39 AM

I found this growing in the local swamp/springs area that is the headwaters of my local creek. In the spring this area is a swamp/pond looking area... this winter is was a standing stream bed... with this stuff growing submerged on the margins.

I converted another tank to soil substrate and planted this at one end about a week ago... seems to be doing OK so far at one end of a 55 gallon tank... Ignore the brown dust on the lower leaves that is just the last of the fine particulate settling out.

So what is it... Looking at my "Through the Looking Glass... A Field Guide to Aquatic Plants" I might come up with it being a type of water starwort (Callitriche)?
Attached File  id1.jpg   157.17KB   2 downloads
Attached File  id2.jpg   163.83KB   0 downloads
Attached File  id3.jpg   141.71KB   0 downloads


Got what looks to be the same thing in my 15 I'm setting up for natives. I found it where a stream meets and flows into a large man made lake. Same you described being found at the submerged margins. Been in the tank since Monday, seems to be doing ok so far.

#3 Guest_nativeplanter_*

Guest_nativeplanter_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 01:55 PM

I'm thinking Ludwigia palustris. Or possibly L. repens; these are very similar when not in flower.

(Would be good to see something for scale - I first thought these were larger leaves until I noticed the sand grains. Was confusing, because the petiole really looks Ludwigia-like, but I thought it was too big for the opposite-leaved species at first.)

#4 Guest_EricaWieser_*

Guest_EricaWieser_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 02:09 PM

I've got Ludwigia repens in my aquarium, but it doesn't look anything like yours. Here's an image: http://gallery.nanfa...repens.png.html
It has this awkward desire to grow diagonally sideways, when I want it to grow vertically.

What happens to make some plants of a species red and some green? Like this red ludiwigia palustris: http://www.aquaticpl...ails.php?id=121
Image only: http://www.aquaticpl.../Lpalustris.jpg
I'm curious what causes the color difference among plants of the same species.

#5 Guest_nativeplanter_*

Guest_nativeplanter_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 02:16 PM

I've got Ludwigia repens in my aquarium, but it doesn't look anything like yours. Here's an image: http://gallery.nanfa...repens.png.html
It has this awkward desire to grow diagonally sideways, when I want it to grow vertically.

What happens to make some plants of a species red and some green? Like this red ludiwigia palustris: http://www.aquaticpl...ails.php?id=121
Image only: http://www.aquaticpl.../Lpalustris.jpg
I'm curious what causes the color difference among plants of the same species.


Both of those species can exhbit a good bit of variation with respect to leaf width and length, especially betwen submerged and emersed. Look at the leaves at the base of Michael's plants. In specific, look at their petioles. Then look at the petioles in your photos.

The red is a combination of factors. Some of it is genetics, and some is lighting. Among a number of plant species, some will exhibit more red than others. Of these, some will lose the red under lower light levels. Plants that are commercially available are often redder genetically because they sell better. This is the case for both aquarium plants and garden plants.

#6 Guest_gerald_*

Guest_gerald_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 02:52 PM

I agree with Laura (always a safe bet). In NC L.palustris is abundant everywhere and L.repens is rare and limited to the Coastal Plain, so I'd lean toward palustris as more likely. I have seen it with long narrow leaves (like Michael's) and rounder leaves on the same plant. Sometimes it gets quite red or bronzy-colored even in shady places.

I'm thinking Ludwigia palustris. Or possibly L. repens; these are very similar when not in flower.
(Would be good to see something for scale - I first thought these were larger leaves until I noticed the sand grains. Was confusing, because the petiole really looks Ludwigia-like, but I thought it was too big for the opposite-leaved species at first.)



#7 Michael Wolfe

Michael Wolfe
  • Board of Directors
  • North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage

Posted 06 January 2012 - 06:21 PM

I'm thinking Ludwigia palustris. Or possibly L. repens; these are very similar when not in flower.

(Would be good to see something for scale - I first thought these were larger leaves until I noticed the sand grains. Was confusing, because the petiole really looks Ludwigia-like, but I thought it was too big for the opposite-leaved species at first.)

Here are a couple of pictures proving that...
1) shiners cannot be used as a comparison scale because they do not hold still
2) I really do have 3-4 inches of soil and sand in this tank
...maybe they also help you identify the plant?
Attached File  id4.jpg   146.78KB   0 downloads
Attached File  id5.jpg   148.39KB   0 downloads
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin

#8 Guest_nativeplanter_*

Guest_nativeplanter_*
  • Guests

Posted 06 January 2012 - 07:08 PM

OK, that makes a big difference visually. On my computer screen, one inch of your ruler measures 2.5 inches!

I'd write down Ludwigia palustris in pen.

Gerald, I'll have to tell Mr. Handsome what you said about safe bets... :tongue:




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users