YELLOW WATER LILY, Spatterdock, Yellow
Cow Lily
SOURCE: http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/emergent_plants/spatterdock.htm
Spatterdock is a perennial plant with leaves that arise from a large spongy rhizome. The leaves have a slit that makes them roughly heart-shaped, 8 to 16 inches long by 10 inches wide, and can float on the surface or stand above the surface on thick round (in cross section) stalks. Flowers are spiracle with 6 to 9 green sepals and yellow petals. Flowers can float on the water or stand above it. Fruits are oval with a flat top and greenish or yellowish in color. Spatterdock can spread from seeds or the rhizomes.
Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. This 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. Spatterdock is grazed by deer while the rhizomes are consumed by beavers, muskrats, and nutria. Seeds are consumed by ducks and other waterfowl.
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Potamogeton nodosus
American pondweed is a perennial plant that has both floating and a few submerged leaves in an alternate pattern. The floating leaves are elliptical to oval 4 to 7 inches long and to 1 inches wide on long petioles. Submerged leaves are not abundant and are blade-like, somewhat transparent and smaller than floating leaves. Fruits are on spikes that often stand above the water?s surface and are brownish to reddish 3 to 2 1 inches long and 1/8 to1/4 inches wide.
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") or many aquatic invertebrates. American pondweed is highly utilized as food by ducks and some other types of wildlife.
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Chara (Muck grass), a type of algae
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Chara is often called musk grass or skunkweed because of its foul, musty almost garlic-like odor. Chara is a gray-green branched multicellular algae that is often confused with submerged flowering plants. However, Chara has no flower, will not extend above the water surface, and often has a "grainy" or "crunchy" texture. Chara has cylindrical, whorled branches with 6 to 16 branchlets around each node.
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). Chara is consumed by many species of ducks.
More Identification at Clean-Flo: http://www.clean-flo.com/lake-weeds/watershield.html
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/weeds/milfoil.html
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