Floating Watermoss

Close up of floating watermoss with some duckweed around.

Floating watermoss has two upper lobes that are hairy and a lower lobe that acts like roots. The rows of opposite lobes form a cross shape on the water.

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Giant Salvinia

Close up of giant salvinia in various life stages.

Giant Salvinia is a small floating fern with two small, simple lobes as leaves. Some leaves modify to act as roots that branch horizontally.

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Pond Water Starwort

Pond water starwort in shallow water.

Pond water starwort has long, thin submersed leaves and floating leaves that resemble a four leaf clover. White flowers are held above water.

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Floating Crystalwort

Floating crystalwort close up.

Floating crystalwort forms green mats under or on the water’s surface. The stem and leaves all look the same with forked branches.

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American Pondweed

American Pondweed has elliptical shaped floating leaves that are green and often have brown spots.

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Floating Leaf Pondweed

Floating leaf pondweed has long, narrow, stiff submersed leaves and two to four inch long floating leaves on long stalks.

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Floating Primrose

Floating primrose close up with flowers

Floating primrose’s leaves emerge from the water’s surface and the plant blooms with five petal yellow flowers.

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Parrot Feather

Parrot feather has feathered leaves that come above the water’s surface and can look like they are made of plastic.

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Chara Algae

Chara algae close up on top of water

Chara appears like a submerged plant, but it is not truly rooted. Chara is branched with whorls of leaf-like structures.

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Bulltongue Arrowhead

Bulltongue arrowhead in water with a few flowers.

Bulltongue arrowhead has firm leaves that taper at both ends. Leaves can grow a foot long and three inches wide. Flowers have three white petals.

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Watershield

Watershield leaves in hand close up

Watershield’s floating leaves are smaller than lilies, green on the top and brown and slimy on the bottom; flowers are typically brownish.

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Water Lily

Waterlily

Water lilies are rooted with large round leaves that have a notch in them; they flower in summer.

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Duckweed

Duckweed up close in hand with roots

Duckweed is a small free floating plant that resembles clovers and has short roots.

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Mosquito Fern

Mosquito fern in large group close up on water

Mosquito fern floats on the surface, forming large colonies, and can be green or red to brown.

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