Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Potamogeton octandrus

Common name

Pondweed

Family

Potamogetonaceae

Where found

Shallow water of lakes and creeks, often in sand. North from the Sydney area. Rarely coastal farther south.

Notes

Aquatic perennial herb, rhizomatous, almost turf-forming. Stem cylindrical, to 3 m long. Numerous submerged and a few floating leaves. Leaves alternating along the stems, stipules more or less sheathing the bases. Floating leaves stalked, 2–4 cm long, less than 10 mm wide, 5–7-veined, leathery, tapered at the base, pointed at the tips. Submerged leaves translucent, 5–10 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, tapered at tips and bases. Flowers 3–4 mm in diameter, with 4 'petals'. Flower spikes emergent, dense, to 20 mm long, curved down at the seeding stage. Flowering: during the warmer months.

PlantNET description:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Potamogeton~octandrus  (accessed 3 February, 2021)