Stuckenia filiformis
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 86.
What is Fineleaf Pondweed?
Physical Characteristics
Leaves:
Flowers:
- 4 petals
- Thread-like
Fruit:
- Fleshy
- Dark brown
- Oval-shaped
Stem:
- Branching
- 3.94-39.37 inches long
Where Does it Grow?
USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Fineleaf pondweed can be found in farm ponds, lakes, and streams in the northern and western United States and Canada.
Pros and Cons of Fineleaf Pondweed
Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.