Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Did my best, now I need some HELP!

Tried to figure out what this plant is, no luck. Looked at all the recommended ID websites but none look exactly the same. Any ideas.

Thanks, Scott

Looks like chara/muskgrass, does it smell when you crush it?

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/muskgrass/

Working on that now, will have an answer shortly. That was my first guess, another guy said maybe baby pond weed. I'll get the smell test results in a few minutes.

Thanks

Ok, he just texted me back, NO smell at all. He's also sending me a closeup of some that we pulled from the pond. Maybe that will help. I'll post that shortly also.

Ok, here is one piece pulled from the pond.

Anybody think it's baby pondweed?

Anybody have an opinion. We have two different "experts" looking into it now but no response from either yet. We are pretty sure its not Chara (several smell tests). It's taking over most of the shore areas in the small pond and we are a little concerned about it.

By the way, this pond was drained and dredged last spring so a hole could be fixed in the bottom. It's tapered to 8 ft in the center, circular with a 60' diameter.

Thanks, Scott

First pictures look like Chara and it typical growth habit, but later picture of the single plant stem looks different and not like Chara. This picture of the single stem is pretty blurry and from that blurry picture, it could be any of numerous plant species. Did the stem come from the roundish clumps in the first 2 pictures? Is the pond fairly new? Chara and Nitella are primary invaders in relatively new, bare bottom ponds.

It looks like what I refer to as Stonewort to me (scientific name Nitella as Bill stated).

IMO, definitely not Chara or Nitella - both of which are algae species.
The close-up photo is blurry, but I'm guessing Potamogeton pusillus - which goes by several common names.

Small Pondweed
Slender Pondweed

The first two photos were not Potamogeton due to the growth habit (big ball like clumps) and short needle like "leaves". Later blurry picture does look like a Potamogeton. Until we get better pictures and more info all guesses are correct.

The blurry single stem photo is a stem pulled from the growth pods/plants in the other two photos. I will try to get a clearer picture.

This pond is not new BUT it was dredged last year and water level dropped down so a leak could be repaired. It had a very low water level all last summer.

The stem pulled out did not have a bad smell at all when crushed in your fingers so we kinda ruled out Chara. (Just from the smell test, nothing scientific)

Thanks

My $$ is on Kelly, blurry picture and all.

Here is hopefully a better picture of what we have in the pond.



This is one piece/stem pulled from the weed pod in the earlier photos.

That's a much better photo, and would be perfect for ID purposes if it also displayed a coin or a palm; for scale-reference.
I still think it is P. pusillus, or something closely related - especially if the leaves are 1.5-2" in length.
However, I don't recall seeing this species grow in "balled masses", as shown in your initial photos. In fact, based on those photos alone, I would've likely guessed it as an Eleocharis spp.
Here's are some photos of P. pusillus.


Edit: now that I look at your photo more closely, I can tell that you have a toothpick next to the plant. I didn't realize that it was a toothpick at first glance.

Thanks for the help Kelly (and others of course).

I am baffled by the "balled masses"/pods.... also. I've looked at hundreds of google images of everything suggested and can't find anything that grows in that shape. There are 40+ of those masses in the tiny pond that I can see, they surround most of the shoreline. I can't see if there are any in the deeper 8' water. Each mass is about the size of a beachball if that helps any.

The individual pieces certainly look like the Potamogeton pusillus pondweed examples you posted and several others I've seen. Just weird how they are growing.

Whatever they are the small fish, salamanders, frogs and tadpoles love it!!!

It's possible there is more than one type of weed/algea present. Bring your rubber boots next time you go and pull some stuff directly from the ball.

Hi Shorty, the pieces in the above photo are directly from the balls in the original pics. All the masses are uniform and all the stems are the same.


After looking at 6.02x10^23 pictures of every species from
genus Potamogeton as well as everything else that grows on the bottom of a pond, I'm convinced I'm going to be famous. I have found a new species of minnow,tadpole,forage fish,salamander,frog and bug loving pondweed. Not only that, since I am the founder I get to name it too.

Here it is, in its unidentifiable glory: Potamogeton Francis

New photos look very similar to Potamogeton. There are about 8 species of Potamogeton that have narrow leaves similar to the one in the picture. Best way to identify the species is to note the flowers and seeds when they form at the surface on the ends of the stems in June in PA. Anyway - you likely have one of the narrow leafed Potamogetons. The growth habit sure is unusual.

Ok, now that we have that about figured out i'll get some new pictures when the flowers form and maybe we can get a specific strain narrowed down.

QUESTION: What if anything should I be concerned about. Can I leave them, keep some as cover, remove all of them, poison.... Not sure where to go from here.

Pond currently has LMB, BG and minnows (guessing creek chubs,pond is creek fed).

Thanks again guys for all the help, its greatly appreciated!!