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Potamogeton diversifolius
Also called Water Thread Pondweed, Waterthread
Waterthread pondweed is a thread-like, perennial aquatic herb found in ponds, lakes, ditches and slow streams. It grows submerged with floating leaves and is grown mainly in ponds and water gardens with plenty of light.
Potamogeton diversifolius is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names waterthread pondweed and diverse-leaved pondweed. It is native to most of the United States, as well as sections of southwestern Canada, and northern Mexico, where it grows in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and slow-moving streams. This is a perennial herb producing a very narrow, compressed stem branching to a maximum length around 35 centimeters. It has thin, pointed linear leaves a few centimeters long spirally arranged about the thin stem. The inflorescence is a small spike of flowers emerging from the water surface. Inflorescences also grow on submersed sections of the stem; these are smaller and spherical. It can be difficult to distinguish from similar species of pondweed.
Potamogeton diversifolius can be found in shallow bodies of water including streams, ponds and shallow sections of the lakes. This species is one of the most numerous and widely distributed pondweeds throughout the North America and can be found in 43 US States. This pondweed is in different types of still waters such as pools, ponds, lakes, and even some streams. The plant is currently listed as invasive in Cuba. Water thread pondweed can be found in fresh water. In an experiment involving fish predation scientists discovered that Potamogeton diversifolius was only found within fish free enclosures. P. diversifolius occurs scattered throughout the United States except for the New England states. In recent years the species has been found in newly excavated ditches that contain clay like soil. The species has been found at elevations as high as 2744 m Potamogeton diversifolius has been found in both full sunlight and partial shade. Potamogeton diversifolius occurs in northern Mexico and in Cuba.
Potamogeton diversifolius is known to be used as food for at least approximately 124 animals. The plant provides a habitat for many micro- and macroinvertebrates. After the plant dies decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food invertebrates. The seeds are eaten by waterfowl. Leaves are eaten by fish and invertebrates. Potamogeton diversifolius is known to be a host of aquatic fungi. In a study on the food of game ducks it was recorded that 11.04% of their food was Potamogeton diversifolius within 247 locations in the United States and Canada. The proportion of P. diversifolius in the diet of game ducks along the Atlantic coast was 11.73%, 13.29% in eastern region, 6.06% in Mississippi region, 3.99% at the gulf coast, 16.29% in western region, 12.14% in Pacific coast, 12.73% in western Canada and 12.47% in eastern Canada.
Alpine pondweed · Small Pondweed · Fen Pondweed · Grass-wrack pondweed · Curly pondweed · Little-leaf pondweed · Pondweed · Ribbonleaf pondweed · Variableleaf pondweed · Illinois pondweed · Potamogeton ×inbaensis · Shining Pondweed
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Potamogeton diversifolius by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
