Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Potamogeton australiensis

Common name

Thin Pondweed

Family

Potamogetonaceae

Where found

Aquatic in still or slowing flowing fresh water and swamps. Mainly tablelands. Occasionally elsewhere.

Notes

Aquatic perennial herb, rhizomatous. Stems round to flattened in cross section, up to 3 m long. Leaves alternating along the stems, stipules more or less sheathing the bases. Submerged leaves 5–23 cm long, 5–90 mm wide, stalked and more or less round to stalkless and lanceolate. Emergent leaves floating, more or less round, 1.5–9.5 cm long, 9–65 mm wide, shining and often glossy, leathery, usually thin, with 19–32 prominent transverse secondary veins, bases cordate or squared off, tips blunt. Leaves intermediate between these two types stalked and more or less round, translucent; blade to 13.5 cm long, 15–30 mm wide, with 11–21 prominent transverse secondary veins, bases cordate, squared off, or tapered, tips pointed or rounded. Flowers 3–4 mm in diameter, with 4 'petals'. Flowering spikes about 12–20-flowered, 15-45 mm long at the seeding stage. Flowers and fruits Dec.–Feb. 

Data deficient Vic..

PlantNET description with photo of dried specimen:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Potamogeton~australiensis  (accessed 2 February, 2021)