king county weed watchers 2008 program. introduction to plant categories native: native plants are...
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Introduction to plant categoriesNative: native plants are those that occur naturally in an
area. They include rare or uncommon plants (such as water buttercup or buckbean), common, often aggressive plants (such as american waterweed or hardhack), and even a few that have invasive strains of the same species introduced from elsewhere (such as common reed).
Introduction to plant categoriesIntroduced: introduced plants are those non-native plants
that are growing in natural areas but are not causing significant damage (at least not yet!) These include escaped garden plants and weeds (such as creeping jenny), and other naturalized plants of unknown origin. Some, such as common forget-me-not, can be very difficult to tell from their native cousins (small-flowered forget-me-not). A few (such as narrow-leaved cattail) are being watched as potential noxious weeds.
Creeping jenny
Small- flowered & common forget-me-not Narrow-leaved
cattail
Introduction to plant categoriesNoxious weeds: “noxious weed” is a legal designation – any
introduced plant that is causing problems can be added to the official noxious weed list by the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board (the process differs in other states). In Washington there are three main categories of noxious weeds.
Introduction to plant categories
Noxious weed classificationClass A weeds (such as hydrilla) have limited distribution in Washington. Preventing new infestations and eradicating existing ones are the highest priorities. Eradication of these species is required by law.
Class B weeds (such as purple loosestrife and Brazilian elodea) are abundant in some areas of the state and less common in others. Regionally less common species are designated for control by the County Weed Board. Control and containment of these species is required by law.
Class C weeds (such as fragrant waterlily) are common throughout most of Washington. Control is encouraged but not required by law.
Introduction to plant categories: the plot thickens
Class C designate: weeds (such as common reed) that the King County Weed Board has designated as priority weeds in the County. Control and containment of Class C designate
weeds is required by law.
Class B non-designate: Class B weeds (such as Eurasian watermilfoil) that are so prevalent in the County that the County Weed Board does not require their control. Control is encouraged but not required by law.
“Designate” vs. “Non-designate”
Introduction to plant categories: summary
NATIVE generally beneficial
INTRODUCED usually not harmful
NOXIOUS always potentially destructive
Class A
Class B designate and non-designate
Class C designate and non-designate
Weed Watchers is concerned primarily with Class A weeds and Class B and C designate
weeds
There are often multiple Common Names for one plant, and the multiple plants can have the same common name. Common names can be easier to remember, but they can confuse the identification of a particular plant.
Latin Names can change over time as the scientific community updates taxonomy based on new research. Both Genus and species names can change over time. Latin names can be difficult to remember if you are unfamiliar with them, however, they are a more reliable identifier than common names.
EXAMPLE:
spatterdock = yellow pond lily = yellow water lily = Nuphar lutea = Nuphar polysepala
A Note on Plant Names
Useful plant concepts: annual
perennialrhizome
Note: these and other botanical terms are described in appendix A of your field guide (An Aquatic Plant Identification Manual)
Important plant terms: leaf arrangements
opposite alternatewhorled
compound
leafleaflet
basal
leaf axil
Submerged
Leaves divided
Leaves feather-like Leaves not feather-like
Leaves paired and opposite Fanwort
Leaves in a whorl all the way around the stem Coontail or aquatic plant-like algae (Chara or Nitella sp.)
Leaves simple
Leaves in whorls around stem
Leaf margins visibly toothed, leaves in whorls of five Hydrilla
Leaf margins smooth
Leaves alternate on stem
Leaves thin, leaf margins wavy Curly-leaf pondweed
Leaves elliptical to thread-like, sometimes have floating leaves Native pondweeds
More than 14 leaflets per leaf, leaves collapse against stem when removed from water Eurasian water milfoil
Fewer than 14 leaflets per leaf, plant holds its shape when removed from water Native milfoils
Leaves more evenly distributed on stem
Leaves clasp stem, tend to bunch at stem ends Water-nymph
Leaves have bladders Bladderwort
No bladders
Leaves mostly in whorls of three American waterweed
Leaves in whorls of four (up to six) Brazilian elodea
Leaves scaly, rather rigid and overlapping along entire length of stem Water moss
Leaves not rigid, have mid-vein(s)
Gray boxes = invasive plant
White boxes = native plant
10 submerged species you should be able to identify
Latin name Common nameCabomba caroliniana fanwort – Class B
Ceratophyllum demersum coontail -native
Egeria densa Brazilian elodea – Class B
Elodea canadensis American waterweed - native
Hydrilla verticilata hydrilla – Class A
Myriophyllum spp. native watermilfoils
Myriophyllum heterophyllum Variable watermilfoil – Class A
Myriophyllum spicatum Eurasian watermilfoil – Class B non-designate
Potamogeton crispus curly leaf pondweed – Class C non-designate
Utricularia vulgaris common bladderwort - native
Cabomba caroliniana Fanwort – Class B
Key characteristics:• submerged leaves
opposite, fan-shaped
• small white flowers borne above the water
• plant can look cylindrical underwater
Currently not in King County
Ceratophyllum demersum Coontail – Native
Key characteristics:• leaves narrow, forked and whorled on the stem
• inconspicuous flowers
• plant is stiff and holds its shape out of water
Egeria densa Brazilian elodea – Class B
Key characteristics:• smooth leaf edges
• leaves in whorls of 4 (up to 6)
• relatively showy flower
• grows in up to 20 feet of water
Elodea canadensis American waterweed – Native
Key characteristics:• leaves linear, whorled in 3s (sometimes 2-4) on the stem
• leaves sparse toward bottom of plant, more bunched together toward top
• branching stem fragments
Brazilian elodea vs. our native American waterweed Elodea
canadensis
Native has3 leaflets
Brazilian elodea has 4 leaflets
Myriophyllum species:The trouble with milfoils
# of leaflets variable and overlapping
Stem color and thickness variable
Flowering stalks helpful, but not always diagnostic
DNA analysis sometimes necessary
Got a new milfoil population? Send us a sample!
Myriophyllum heterophyllum Variable watermilfoil – new Class A
Key characteristics:• Submerged leaves: • 5-18 leaflet pairs
• limp leaves in whorls of 4-6
• densely packed, bottlebrush appearance
• Emergent leaves (bracts):• Toothed, entire, stiff, less toothy higher on stem
• ½-1 inch long
• Stem green to red, robust • Plants can grow in de-watered areas
variable watermilfoil Myriophyllum heterophyllum vs. western watermilfoil Myriophyllum
hippuroidesBottom line: if it has emergent leaves, send it
in!!!
variable western
• Both have leaves on emergent flower stalks
• Both are rare or unknown in King County
• May require DNA analysis to tell apart
Key characteristics:• 14 or more leaflet pairs• leaves whorled • usually red stem, branched• leaves collapse against stem when pulled from water
• flower spike held above water
Myriophyllum spicatum Eurasian watermilfoil – Class B non-designate
Eurasian watermilfoil – Myriophyllum spicatum vs. the native northern watermilfoil Myriophyllum
sibiricum
Eurasian water Milfoil has 14 or more leaflet pairs
The native has fewer than 14 leaflet pairs
Collapses out of water
Holds shape out of water
Potamogeton crispus Curly leaf Pondweed - Class C non-designate
Key characteristics:• leaves distinctly wavy and stiff
• leaves olive green
• grows from early spring into summer
• major problem in the midwest but so far not a problem in Washington
Utricularia vulgaris Common bladderwort – Native
Key characteristics:• branched leaves• conspicuous bulbous bladders
green when young and turn black further down the stem
• carnivorous plant• small yellow snapdragon-like
flower is held above the water• plant often
prostrate on lake bottom
Native submerged species you should be familiar with
Latin name Common nameIsoetes spp. quillwort
Najas flexilis slender water-nymph
Potamogeton species native pondweeds
Ranunculus aquatilis water buttercup
Chara spp. muskgrass
Nitella spp. nitella
Isoetes spp. Quillworts – Native
Key characteristics:• clumping plant with bulbous base
• leaves stiff, grass-like, hollow, generally less than 24cm long and taper to a point
• several species in Washington, all native, submerged species all evergreen
• no flowers; reproduces by spores
Najas flexilis Slender water-nymph – Native
Key characteristics:• branched stem, up to 2m long,
fragments easily• slender pointed leaves <3cm long
cluster near top of stem• leaf base clasps stem and is much
broader than leaf blade• flowers inconspicuous
Potamogeton spp. Submerged pondweeds – Native
Key characteristics:• many species• leaves alternate, grass-like to
oval, always have at least one mid-vein
• stems branched, flexible, up to 3m long
• small flowers/seedheads on spikes held above water
Ranunculus aquatilis water buttercup – Native
Key characteristics:• uncommon in western King
County
• submerged leaves alternate, short stalked, highly branched
• occasionally present floating leaves are scalloped, <2cm wide
• white buttercup flowers with yellow centers are either held above water or submerged
• can be mistaken for fanwort (which has opposite leaves)
Chara spp. and Nitella spp. Plant-like algae – Native
Key characteristics:• algae has no leaves
• leaf-like branchlets form whorls around stem; undivided in Chara spp., evenly forked in Nitella spp.
• Chara spp. have strong, garlic-like odor, especially when crushed
• can be up to 2m long or as short as a few centimeters
Floating and mat-forming species you should be familiar
withLatin name Common nameBrasenia schreberi Watershield - native
Nuphar lutea Spatterdock or yellow pond-lily - native
Nymphaea odorata fragrant waterlily – Class C non-designate
Nymphoides peltata Yellow floating heart – Class B
Potamogeton species native pondweeds
Myriophyllum aquaticum
Parrotfeather – Class B
Ludwigia peploides Floating primrose-willow – Class A
Ludwigia palustris Water purslane - native
Brasenia schreberiWatershield – Native
Key characteristics:• Entire, oval leaves about
4” long with stem attached to center
• Inconspicuous purplish flowers
• stem, buds and lower leaf surface covered with slippery gelatinous substance
Nuphar luteaspatterdock, yellow pond lily – Native
Key characteristics:• very large heart-shaped leaves• ball-shaped yellow flowers• stems rigid enough to hold leaves out
of water when water level drops
Nymphaea odorata Fragrant waterlily – Class C non-designate
Key characteristics:• floating perennial
• flowers white to pink on separate flexible stalks
• thick fleshy rhizomes
• round leaves
Nymphoides peltata Yellow Floating Heart – Class B
Key characteristics:• floating perennial• small yellow flowers with
distinctive fringes• 2 to 5 flowers per stalk • heart-shaped or round
leaves, wavy margins, often purplish underneath
Currently not in King County
Myriophyllum aquaticum Parrotfeather – Class BKey characteristics:• emergent up to 1 ft. above
water
• leaves in whorls around stem
• leaves feathery like milfoil
• dense mat of brownish rhizomes
Ludwigia peploides Floating Primrose-willow – Class A
Key characteristics:• prostrate or floating
stems
• alternate, variable leaves
• bright yellow 5-petalled flowers in leaf axils
• Grows in up to 10 feet of water, can be up to 2 ½ feet tall
Ludwigia palustris water purselane – Native
Key characteristics:• leaves opposite, smooth
edged, elliptical, on long stalks
• flowers inconspicuous, greenish, in leaf axils
• stem prostrate to erect or floating, fleshy
• can form floating mats
Emergent species you should be familiar with
Latin name Common nameEpilobium hirsutum hairy willowherb – Class C designate
Iris pseudacorus yellow-flag iris – Class C non-designate
Lysimachia vulgaris garden loosestrife – Class B
Lythrum salicaria purple loosestrife – Class B
Phragmites australis Common reed – Class C designate
Polygonum amphibium water smartweed – native
Polygonum hydropiperoides waterpepper – native
Potentilla palustris marsh cinquefoil – native
Spirea douglasii hardhack, Douglas spirea – native
Typha angustifolia narrow-leaved cattail – non-native
Typha latifolia common cattail – native
Veronica americana American speedwell – native
Epilobium hirsutum Hairy willowherb – Class C designate
Key characteristics:• semi-aquatic perennial
rhizometous herb to 6 feet tall
• leaves mostly opposite, toothed, lanceolate
• co-exists with purple loosestrife
• wind-dispersed seeds like fireweed
• flowers July and August
• manual control difficult due to rhizomes
Native Epilobium species • There are many native epilobiums• Fireweed (E. angustifolium) is tall and
has showy flowers like hairy willowherb, but is an upland plant and usually will not be found in wet soils
• Several low growing, variable Epilobium species may be found in wet areas, but they will have small, relatively inconspicuous flowers
Epilobium angustifoliumEpilobium ciliatum
Iris pseudacorus – Yellow Flag Iris Class C non-designate
Key characteristics:• perennial monocot to 1.5 meters tall
• thick rhizomes form solid mats
• showy yellow flowers• green seed pods with flat seeds like corn kernels that float
Lysimachia vulgaris Garden Loosestrife – Class B
Key characteristics:• perennial emergent with rhizomes up to 15 feet long
• showy yellow flowers clustered at top of plant
• leaves opposite or whorled (3-6)
• leaves sometimes have small orange or black glands
• stems round, occasionally fasciated (flattened)
• flowers July and August
Lythrum salicaria Purple loosestrife – Class B
Key characteristics:• perennial rhizomatous
emergent with showy magenta flower spikes
• Branched stems are square, can root at nodes
• leaves opposite, lanceolate • up to 2.5 million tiny
seeds/plant
Phragmites australis Common Reed – Class B
Key characteristics:• 12+ foot tall rhizometous grass• hollow woody stems • wide stiff leaves• large feathery flower head purplish when young, brown in seed
Duwamish: First Avenue South
Native Polygonum species
Key characteristics:• Alternate lance-shaped
leaves• spikes of pink or white
flowers • P. amphibium is fairly
common• P. hydropiperoides is
fairly uncommon
Polygonum amphibium: Water smartweed
Polygonum hydropiperoides:
waterpepper
Potentilla palustrisMarsh cinquefoil – Native
Key characteristics:• compound leaf with 3-7 sharply toothed
leaflets at the end of a long stalk• stems prostrate or floating, extend up to ½
meter above the water surface • flowers have 5 reddish petals turning purple
in late summer
Spirea douglasii hardhack, Douglas spirea – Native
Key characteristics:• woody deciduous shrub• leaves alternate, oblong, toothed at the tip• tiny pink flowers in large spikes at stem ends,
appear fuzzy • spent flower spikes are dark brown and
persist through the winter• can be mistaken for purple loosestrife
image © Robert Flogaus-Faust
Cattails Typha latifolia: common cattail – nativeTypha angustifolia: narrow-leaf cattail –
introduced Key characteristics:• leaves narrow and up to 1.5 meters long• stems round, pithy and up to 3 meters
tall • T.latifolia: male and female flowers
adjacent on stem• T. angustifolia:male and female flowers
separated by 1-4cm on stem
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