Wetland Plant Identification Quiz 2

What do plant families end in?

aceae

Emergent Vegetation General Characteristics

• Part of the plant emerges out of water

• Rooted in soil

• Rigid - supports itself in variable conditions (wave action, shallow water, dry soil)

• Found in shallower water/saturated soil

Equisetaceae

Horsetail Family

Equisetum (Genus) 

• A type of Fern

• Height to around 1 m

• Stems - green, hollow, jointed

• Leaves - reduced to scale like sheaths around stem

• Reproduce with spores in a cone like structure (no flowers or fruit)

Smooth horsetail

Equisetum laevigatum

• Leaves black

• Cones rounded at top

• Very hollow stem

Pontederiaceae

Pickerelweed family

Mud plantain

Heteranthera

• Small size

• Leaves emergent of submerged

• Leaves - oval to elliptical (2-6 cm long)

• Flower - small, white to purplish blue, yellow near center

Typhaceae

Cattail family

Typa (genus)

• Tall perennial (2-3 m)

• Stems are nearly as long as the leaves

• Brown, cylindrical flower spike

• Leaves - long, slightly curved, from the base of plant

• Can spread through rhizomes sending up shoots/roots

Broadleaf Cattail

Typha latifolia

• Native

• No separation between male and female flower spikes

Narrowleaf cattail

Typha angustifolia

• Not native

• Separation between male and female flower cone

Alismataceae

Water-Plantain Family 

Sagittaria (genus)

• Leaves usually arrowhead shaped

Broadleaf arrowhead

• Leaves grow from long stalks off the base of the plant

• Leaves grow up to q m above water

• Small white flowers in whirls of 3

• Also spreads through rhizomes

Polygonaceae

The knotweed family

• Swollen nodes

• Leaves alternate or whirled from base

• Smooth or wavy edges

• Small flowers in spikes or clusters

• Papery sheath at base of leaves

Curly dock

Rumex crispus

• Leaves grow from a whrl at base and along stem

• Has large taproot

• .5 - 1.5 m tall

• Large oval leaves

• Crispy, curl leaf edges

• Many small flowers on long spikes (greenish, yellow)

• Flower dry and turn brown in fall

Cyperaceae

The sedge family

• Triangular stems, not hollow

• No nodes on stem

Eriophorum (genus)

Cottonsedge

• Up to 2 m tall

• Long, slender stems & leaves

• Found in temperate regions, especially acidic habitats (peatlands)

• Very distinctive flower head, dangles from stalks

Schoenoplectus (genus)

Bulrushes (not rushes)

• ½ - 3 m tall

• Mainly single stems

• Shorter leaves (if present) at base of stem

• Stems round or triangular

• Flowers: spikelets near stem tip

Hardstem bulrush

Schoenoplectus acutus

• Are not rushes

• Dark green, round stems

• Tiny leaves at base of stem

• Spread easily by rhizomes

• In deeper water (to 1.5 m)

• Stem difficult to crush between fingers

Softstem bulrush

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani 

• Are not rushes

• Dark green, round stems

• Tiny leaves at base of stem

• Spread easily by rhizomes

• In deeper water (to 1.5 m)

• Stem easy to crush between fingers

Threesquare bulrush

Schoenoplectus pungens

• Smaller plant .5 -1.5 m

• Leaves reach ½ way up stem

• Triangular stem

• Flower spikelet is compact, near stem tip

Three-way sedge

Dulichium arundinaceum

• 0.5 - 1 m tall shallower water

• Round & hollow stems

• Leaves in a spiral of 3 directions

• Flower spikes come from leaf base

• Flower spikes along stem give a “shaggy” appearance

Carex (genus)

Sedges

• Stems usually triangular 

• Long thin leaves from base of plant

• Other characteristics of Cyperaceae

• Seed with papery sack

Cyperus (genus)

• Characteristics of Cyperaceae

• Stems usually triangular

• Long thin leaves from base of plant

• Seed without papery sack

• Flower heads at end of stems

Eleocharis (genus)

• Not rushes

• Other characteristics of Cyperaceae 

• Smaller 

• No obvious leaves

• All smooth stems

• Round stems

• Single flower head at tip of stems

Equisetum laevigatum (Smooth horsetail)

Heteranthera limosa (mud plantain)

Typha latifolia (Broadleaf cattail)

Typha angustifolia (Narrowleaf cattail)

Sagittaria latifolia (Broadleaf arrowhead)

Rumex crispus (curly dock)

Eriophorum (Cottonsedge)

Schoenoplectus acutus (Hardstem bulrush)

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (softstem bulrush)

Schoenoplectus pungens (Threesquare bulrush)

Dulichium arundinaceum (Three-way sedge)

Carex (Sedges)

Cyperus (Flatsedges)

Eleocharis (Spike-rushes)