Potamogeton amplifolius

Broad-leaved pondweed

Family: Potamogetonaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Broad-leaved pondweed is a California native perennial found in northern California Coast Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in deep, clear-water lakes at elevations of 600 to 1,850 meters. Flowering from July to August, this aquatic plant produces small flowers in compact inflorescences less than 5 centimeters long. Growing with stout rhizomes and stems up to 90 centimeters tall, it creates distinctive underwater vegetation with cylindrical branches. Its submersed leaves are particularly striking, measuring 8 to 20 centimeters long and 2 to 7 centimeters wide, typically lanceolate to ovate, often folded along the midvein and curved backward with 19 to 50 distinct veins. The plant develops fibrous, stringy stipules and distinctive floating leaves that are elliptic to ovate, 5 to 10 centimeters long with 27 to 50 veins.

Habitat: Uncommon. Deep, clear-water lakes

Bloom period: Jul-Aug

Elevation: 600-1850 m

Bioregions: NCoR, CaRH, SNH, Wrn

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.