Common name: Curly Pondweed
Potamogeton crispus L. APNI*
Description: Submerged rhizomatous aquatic perennial with branched, trailing, flattened stems to 3 m long; turions, when present, formed terminally on the branches.
Leaves alternate, opposite when subtending an inflorescence, linear-oblong, to 10 cm long and 5–15 mm wide, free from the stipular sheath, translucent, apex ± obtuse, margins undulate and minutely toothed, sessile; stipular sheath to 5 mm long, enclosing stem above the node.
Inflorescence a spike, emergent, to 10-flowered, 1–2 cm long when in mature fruit.
Nutlets 5–7 mm long, with a conical ± curved beak and a ± tuberculate body.
Flowering: spring to early summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in slowly flowing freshwater, also tolerant of slightly saline water common in drains.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
A hybrid species derived from this and P. ochreatus has been described as P. x jacobsii Z.Kaplan, Fehrer & Hellq. (2011). It was found at Narellan (without either parent), and could occur in other places.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. Papassotiriou (1993); edited KL Wilson (Sept 2011) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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