Potamogeton alpinus Balbis
northern pondweed (alpine pondweed)
Potamogetonaceae (Horned pondweed family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
northern pondweed (alpine pondweed)
Potamogetonaceae (Horned pondweed family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial, aquatic herb from strong rhizomes; stems mostly unbranched or sparingly branched, with a reddish tinge, nearly circular in cross-section, tapered, up to 200 cm long.
Leaves:
Submersed leaves flat, thin, linear-lanceolate, 4-10 cm long, 5-20 mm wide, with 7 to 9 veins, unstalked, not clasping the stem, the stipules 1.5-2.5 cm long, thin, membranous, persistent; floating leaves, if developed, lanceolate, 3-8 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, gradually tapered into stalks.
Flowers:
Inflorescence spikelike, the spikes 1-3.5 mm long, with 5 to 10 whorls of flowers, the stalks thick.
Fruits:
Achenes, egg-shaped, 3-3.5 mm long, 2-2.4 mm wide, slightly compressed at their sides, the beaks long, often curved, the dorsal keels narrow, prominent, the lateral keels obscure.
Notes:
Stem anatomical characters Interlacunar and subepidermal bundles lacking, pseudohypodermis lacking, endodermis of O-cells.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Potamogeton alpinus
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, 2013)
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, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1155 | 700 | 1440 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
270 | 270 | 270 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
6 | 4 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
4 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
MS | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
BWBS(1), MS(1), SBPS(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Nutrient-poor lakes and sloughs in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent throughout BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT, NT, E to NF and S to ME, NH, NY, MI, WI, MN, SD, CO, UT, NV and CA; Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Potamogeton alpinus subsp. tenuifolius (Raf.) Hultén
Potamogeton alpinus var. subellipticus (Fernald) Ogden
Potamogeton alpinus var. tenuifolius (Raf.) Ogden
Potamogeton tenuifolius