Potamogeton zosteriformis

Eel-grass pondweed

Family: Potamogetonaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Eel-grass pondweed is a California native annual aquatic plant found in southern North Coast Interior Ranges including Clear Lake, the Great Valley, and Mountain Provinces in ponds, lakes, and streams at elevations below 1,300 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers in compact inflorescences less than 3 centimeters long. Growing with compressed, winged stems up to 60 centimeters tall and rarely 4 millimeters wide, it spreads through few branches and winter buds. Its submerged leaves are linear, rigid, 5 to 20 centimeters long and 2 to 5 millimeters wide, with 15 to 35 fine veins and an obtuse to abruptly pointed tip. The fruit is approximately 5 millimeters long with a single prominent keel and convex sides.

Habitat: Ponds, lakes, streams

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: < 1300 m

Bioregions: s NCoRI (Clear Lake), GV, MP

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