Hydrilla
(Hydrilla verticillata)
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Hydrilla is a submerged aquatic perennial plant with ascending stems which become horizontal and heavily branched near the water surface. The narrow leaves are 1-2 cm long, sessile and whorled in groups of 4-8 but sometimes may be opposite on the lower stems. The blades have a row of teeth along the margin and on the underside of the leaf along the midvein. The small flowers are of one sex and these are usually found on separate plants. Hydrilla grows very rapidly from rootstocks, vegetative buds, and vegetative nodes. Only one node is necessary for growth. In clear water the plant can grow in depths of more than 40 feet. When growing from the bottom the leaves may be up to, or more than, 6 inches apart. |
