American Horned Pondweed [Zannichellia palustris]
Description
This species is native to North America and can be found in a variety of water bodies, including ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. It is characterized by its distinctive horn-like projections, which give the species its common name. These projections are actually modified leaves that serve to increase the plant's photosynthetic capacity. The plant also has a unique method of seed dispersal, in which the seeds are released into the water and then carried to new locations by the current.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Seagrasses
Anthophyta
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Seagrasses
Anthophyta
|
| Order |
Eelgrasses
Zosterales
|
| Family |
Eelgrasses
Zosteraceae
|
| Genus |
Horned Pondweed
Phyllospadix
|