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Southern Watergrass

Luziola fluitans

Southern Watergrass Locations in North America
Southern Watergrass Locations in Southeast US
southern watergrass covering water

floating Southern Watergrass

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC.

What is Southern Watergrass?

Physical Characteristics

  • Mostly submerged

Leaves:

  • Floating near surface or usually emerging less than an inch above the water
  • 0.78-2.5 inches long
  • 0.08-0.2 inches wide

Flowers:

  • Loose branching
  • Grow in clusters
  • 0.2-0.78 inches long
  • Few-flowered
  • Spikelets have one flower each

Stem:

  • Hollow Stem
  • 1-3.25 feet long
  • About 0.02 inches thick
  • Somewhat branching

Roots:

  • Rooted at most nodes
  • Bottom-rooted

Where Does it Grow?

Southern watergrass can be found in ponds, lakes, and slow-flowing streams.

Pros and Cons of Southern Watergrass

Muskrats, nutria, and rabbits graze on southern watergrass. 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.

How to Manage This Plant
Plant Glossary

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Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

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