Shining pondweed
Scientific name: Potamogeton lucens L.
Family: Potamogetonaceae
MORPHOLOGY
Habit and dimensions: Aquatic perennial plant, completely submerged, reaching heights of 2-4 m.
Stem: Cylindrical stem (diameter 2-4 mm), branching, whitish rhizome with brown or reddish spots; both the rhizome and stem have internodes.
Leaves: All leaves are similar and submerged, nearly sessile, membranous, translucent, with a reticulate transparent venation; lanceolate blade with a scabrous-toothed margin, (7)-20-(24) cm long, (1.5)3-4.5(6) cm wide, with an acute base ending in a mucro 2-4(10) mm long. Persistent stipules, free, lanceolate and rounded at the apex, up to 8 mm long.
Flowers: Spike cylindrical, with 25-40(60) flowers, densely arranged, pedunculate; peduncles 3–20 cm long, thickened upwards. Blooms from May to August.
Fruits and seeds: The fruits are polydrupe with numerous achenes (drupelets) aggregated in a cylindrical spike 3-6 cm long. Fruitlets asymmetric, 3.3-4.1 x 2.5-3.1 mm, obovoid, with a beak 0.3-1 mm long, dorsally convex with 3 keels: 1 small central and 2 lateral keels less pronounced, more or less greenish in color.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Present throughout Italy except in Molise. It lives in lakes, marshes, in water depths of 1-6 m, stagnant or slowly flowing, fresh and clear, from 0 to 1,500 m.
Photo: under free license from iNaturalist and Saxifraga and Peter Meininger





















