brittleleaf naiad |
Plants: Aquatic |
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Liliopsida > Najadales > Najadaceae > Najas minor All.
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| Synonym(s): brittle waternymph, brittleleaf naiad, European naiad, spinyleaf naiad, slender-leaved naiad |
| Brittleleaf naiad is an annual forb that is native to Europe. The highly branched stems can grow up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) in length and fragment easily, hence the common name. Leaves are opposite, linear, approximately 1 in. (2.5 cm) in length with prominent teeth along the margins. Flowering occurs in late spring to early summer, when small flowers develop in the axils of the leaves. Fruit are single-seeded. Germination of the seeds occurs in early spring. Brittleleaf naiad can be confused with coon's tail (Ceratophyllum spp.), but can be distinguished by the leaf arrangement. The leaves of coon's tail are arranged in whorls of 4 or 5, instead of the opposite arrangement of brittleleaf naiad. This invasive was first collected in the United States in the 1930s. |
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