E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Vallisneria americana Michx.
American eelgrass; American tapegrass
Hydrocharitaceae (Tape-grass Family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Adolf Ceska  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #21259)


Distribution of Vallisneria americana
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Species Information

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Illustration SourceThe Illustrated Flora of BC

General:
Perennial aquatic herb from a fibrous root and rhizomes; flowering stems several, arising from the base of the plant to the water surface, tending to be coiled, the female ones 1-2 m long.
Leaves:
Basal leaves linear, 10-200 cm long, 1-10 mm wide, entire to minutely toothed, thin, longitudinally veined, the crosswalls often reddish, the tips rounded or abruptly pointed; stem leaves lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of either numerous, nearly unstalked, axillary, male flowers or solitary, long-stalked, axillary female flowers; petals either 1, white, elliptic, about 1 mm long (male) or 3, about 0.5 mm long (female); sepals 3, greenish, broadly lanceolate, unequal, 0.5-0.8 mm long (male) or 5-6 mm long (female); stamens 2.
Fruits:
Capsules, cylindric, 5-10 cm long; seeds small, numerous.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Blooming Period:
Mid Summer
USDA Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Green
Present over the Summer
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Vallisneria americana

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2008)

Site Information
Value / Class

Average

Minimum

Maximum

Elevation (metres)
390 390 390
Slope Gradient (%)
0.0 0 0

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

0.0 0 0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
8.0 8 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
Rich
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
1
Modal BEC Zone Class
ICH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

ICH(1)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the:  "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Habitat / Range

Lakes, ponds and streams in the lowland and montane zones; rare in SW and SC BC; introduced from E North America.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of BC

Synonyms and Alternative Names

Vallisneria asiatica Michx.
Vallisneria neotropicalis Victorin
Vallisneria spiralis auct. non L.
Vallisneria spiralis var. asiatica (Michx.) Torr.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

Related Databases

General References