Potamogeton praelongus
White-stemmed pondweed
Family: Potamogetonaceae · Type: perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3
White-stemmed pondweed is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains in deep water and lake habitats at elevations of 1,800 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from July to August, this aquatic plant produces small flowers on slender peduncles 10 to 30 centimeters long. Growing with stout rhizomes and stems less than 30 centimeters tall, it develops few branches that often grow in a distinctive zigzag pattern. Its submersed leaves are lance-linear, 5 to 20 centimeters long and 10 to 30 millimeters wide, with wavy edges and base lobes that clasp the stem. The distinctive white-colored stems and stipules, along with leaves that split when dry, make this pondweed a unique aquatic species.
Habitat: Deep water, lakes
Bloom period: Jul-Aug
Elevation: 1800-3000 m
Bioregions: CaRH, n&c SNH
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.