However, brazilian elodea has four leaves per whorl and each leaf is usually around 0. Egeria densa is a submersed aquatic plant that invades freshwater systems throughout much of the united states. This submersed plant is rooted, but pieces of it may be found drifting in the water. Waterweed definition is any of various floating or submerged aquatic plants such as elodea having usually inconspicuous flowers. Brazilian waterweed umaine extension the university of maine. The small leaves are strapshaped, about one inch long and 14 inch wide. Brazilian waterweed pdf 540 kb pennsylvania department of conservation and natural resources. Brazilian elodea is a prohibited invasive aquatic plant within indiana and is declared a pest under 312 iac 18323 as well as prohibited from being sold, bartered or otherwise distributed within indiana. Dense waterweed egeria densa summary egeria densa is a submerged, freshwater plant native to south america. Brazilian waterweed is a popular aquarium plant, sometimes sold under the name anacharis. Aug 14, 2015 a comparison of brazilian elodea and canadian waterweed. Brazilian waterweed is currently present in many parts of the us including the nearby states of new hampshire, massachusetts, vermont and new york. Brazilian waterweed, sometimes referred to as brazilian elodea when it was thought to be in the elodea genus, is a submerged aquatic plant.
It grows in thick mats of intertwining stems parsons and cuthbertson 2001, which alter the light and nutrients available to the biota where it occurs. Number of records does not imply species abundance. For information about umaine extension programs and resources, visit extension. Brazilian waterweed home san francisco estuary institute. Additional resources san francisco estuary institute. King county best management practices for brazilian elodea. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. In this simulation, you will be looking at the production of oxygen as a plant photosynthesizes.
Also, unlike hydrilla, brazilian waterweed does not form tubers or other storage organs. One may confuse brazilian elodea with another exotic weed, hydrilla hydrilla verticillata. Application of herbicidesdiquat, copperbased product, acrolein, and fluridone have been applied in california in the control of brazilian elodea. Brazilian waterweed can be confused with hydrilla, but hydrillaflowers are much smaller and form along long, thin stalks. While its considered an invasive plant out in nature, it can make for a great. Grows from erect, cylindrical stems until it reaches the surface of the water, where it then forms dense mats. Pdf novel species interactions in a highly modified estuary.
A species profile for brazilian waterweed from usda, national invasive species information center. Brazilian waterweed montana weed control association. South america central minas gerais region of brazil, coast. Brazilian elodea how to care for brazilian waterweed. Hydrilla will have rough teeth on the underside of the leaves where brazilian elodea will not. Waterweed definition of waterweed by merriamwebster. Hydrilla produces tubers and turions while brazilian waterweed does not. The exotic egeria is also known as brazilian elodea. Brazilian waterweed egeria densa prohibited prohibited prohibited broadleaf watermilfoil hybrid myriophyllum heterophyllum x m.
South american waterweed this plant and synonym italicized and indented above can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below. So, some parts of researching this species were difficult and others were very easy. The slender stems of egeria are usually a foot or two long, but can be much longer. Dense waterweed egeria densa australian government. Risk analysis report of nonnative organisms in belgium from the royal belgian institute of. This plant can be considered a nuisance and has the potential to flourish in the lowsalinity tidal waters of the chesapeake bay. Brazilian waterweed forms dense, tangled mats at the surface. How to tell brazilian elodea and canadian waterweed apart brazilian elodea egeria densa is often confused with canadian waterweed elodea canadensis, as they look nearly identical. While very pervasive in neighboring states, brazilian waterweed is not yet very prominent in wisconsin.
Areas on the stems known as double nodes play an important role in. Physical controls on the distribution of the submersed. Detecting a spectrally variable subject in color infrared. In addition, the need of a hand lens to see teeth on leaf margins distinguishes brazilian waterweed and the native waterweeds as well from hydrilla which has teeth that may be seen without a hand lens if one looks closely. Brazilian elodea is still sold in some areas as an aquarium plant, and it was probably introduced to washington waters by careless dumping of aquariums. Foliage the finely serrated leaves are usually less than 1 in. Brazilian waterweed, egeria densa frogs bit family. Egeria densa cannot tolerate high uvb radiation, as it can damage the enzymes involved in photosynthesis and can reduce photosynthetic capacity casati et al. There is also a native species of elodea found in indiana, american elodea e. Egeria densa is an aquatic plant in the waterweed family that inhabits mild to warm. Maines native waterweeds rarely have more than three leaves per whorl which helps to distinguish them from their invasive look alikes. An exotic invasive plant egeria densa description egeria densa is a robust submerged aggressive invasive aquatic plant. Stems are cylindrical and can be simple or branching. Egeria densa is a popular aquarium plant that is often sold as anacharis.
Data source and references for egeria densa brazilian waterweed from the usda plants database. Brazilian waterweed resources national invasive species. Pdf risk analysis of the brazilian waterweed egeria densa. Often confused with hydrilla, egeria densa has a smooth midrib on the underside of the leaf, whereas hydrilla has small teeth.
In this system, brazilian waterweed and largemouth bass have seen marked increases in distribution and abundance in recent decades, but their association has not been. When researching egeria densa i found many websites with the same information but there a few that conflicted with each other and thats when it got confusing. Egeria densa is an aquatic plant in the waterweed family that. This summary represent collection records only and may not reflect the actual distribution of established populations. Page designed through the cooperative efforts of interagency itis teams. It is considered a problematic invasive species due to its use in home aquariums and subsequent release into nonnative habitats. Brazilian waterweed or wideleaf anacharis egeria densa submersed, perennial, freshwater herb. Dense stands of brazilian waterweed can restrict water movement, trap sediment and affect water quality. This page was last edited on 6 december 2014, at 05. This procedure can be accomplished by placing elodea plants in water with baking soda to provide carbon. Find more of our publications and books at extensionpubs. It is very popular as an aquarium plant and has been transported across the world for this use. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page.
Brazilian waterweed, also known as egeria densa, is frequently used in aquariums by newcomers to the fishkeeping hobby. Egeria densa ufifas center for aquatic and invasive plants. It has several other common names, including brazilian waterweed, south american waterweed, and anacharis. Brazilian waterweed san francisco estuary institute. It generally roots one to two meters below the water. Plants profile for egeria densa brazilian waterweed. Risk analysis of the brazilian waterweed egeria densa planch. Grows rooted in mud, submerged or floating, with stems up to fifteen feet long, 18 inch thick. The invasive aquatic plant egeria densa brazilian waterweed is a submersed aquatic plant that has expanded its distribution in both its native and introduced range. Brazilian waterweed is a rooted, submersed perennial. Common waterweed egeria densa egeria densa is not native to florida. Hosted by the usgs core science analytics and synthesis. The plant can then be exposed to varying intensities and colors of light.
The leaf margins have very fine saw teeth that require a magnifying lens to see. Brazilian elodea is a submerged perennial that looks similar to american waterweed elodea canadensis, a common native aquatic plant. Brazilian elodeas native range includes some regions of brazil to. This exotic weed is displacing native flora, disrupting navigation and recreational uses of waterways, clogging irrigation intake trenches, and causing reservoirpumping problems. Brazilian waterweed, has grown uncontrolled in the sacramentosan joaquin delta of northern california for over 35 years and now covers about 2400 hectares of waterways. Egeria densa is an aquatic plant in the waterweed family that inhabits mild to warm freshwaters, such as slowflowing streams in warm, temperate, and tropical regions parsons and cuthbertson 2001. Egeria densa, the largeflowered waterweed or brazilian waterweed, is a species of egeria native to warm temperate south america in southeastern brazil, argentina, and uruguay. South america central minas gerais region of brazil, coast of argentina, and coast of. This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. Brazilian waterweed is a popular aquarium plant that can create dense mats in the wild. The slender stems of egeria are usually a foot or two.
Executive office montana weed control association, inc. Egeria densa is an invasive plant that has negative impacts on water bodies and is spread by humans. A member of the hydrocharitaceae family, brazilian waterweed is a freshwater, perennial herb. Invasive plant fact sheets for plant species trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and aquatic plants that have impacted the states natural lands. Also, the leaves of common waterweed tend to get more densely crowded toward the tip then those of slender waterweed. It has become a major pest in japan, new zealand and the united states, where it has escaped. Brazilian waterweed, egeria densa frogsbit family pdf developed by the maine natural areas program and university of maine cooperative extension. Egeria densa cannot tolerate high light intensities or high levels of ultraviolet and blue light, as it experiences chlorophyll damage to light levels of 1250 lux.