(8.2) FLORA and FAUNA - Aquatic Vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida

Aquatic Vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida

An Information, Opinion, & Sources Report

Compiled by Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca

Created: 09 September 2013

Last Revised: 29 May 2015

INTRODUCTION

Aquatic vegetation in luxuriant amounts and of many forms is observed by the canoeing bass angler float-fishing along with the swift currents of the Ocklawaha River. The following list contains 20 or so of the aquatic plant species that inhabit the mainstream waters of Marion County's free-flowing Ocklawaha River--between Lake Ocklawaha (Rodman Pool/Rodman Reservoir) and the inflow of Silver River. Some of these identified plants occur much more abundantly than others from the list in this "middle" section of the river. Silver River and the "lower" Ocklawaha River downstream of Rodman Dam (Kirkpatrick Dam) would exhibit most of the same in-stream vegetation.

NOTE: Click-on links to view data/photos of individual aquatic plant species!

CODE:

E (exotic),

N (native),

EME (emergent, rooted in the bottom but protruding above the surface),

FLO (floating and/or matted on the surface),

SUB (submerged/submersed underwater).

In Alphabetical Order by COMMON NAME

COMMON NAME(s) - Scientific Name - CODE

ALLIGATOR WEED - Alternanthera philoxeroides - E, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1343&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/33

ARROWHEAD (many species) - Sagittaria spp. - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2817&display=photos

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=890&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/388

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/391

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/387 (Strap-leaf Sagittaria [Sagittaria kurziana] may be easily confused with Eelgrass [Vallisneria americana])

BULLRUSH - Scirpus spp. - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=879&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/407

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/413

COONTAIL MOSS (Hornwort) - Ceratophyllum demersum - N, SUB, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2281&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/94

DUCKWEED - Lemna spp. - N, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=593&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/226

EELGRASS (Tapegrass, Wild Celery) - Vallisneria americana - N, SUB, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2090&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/465 (Eelgrass [Vallisneria americana] may be easily confused with Strap-leaf Sagittaria [Sagittaria kurziana])

EGERIA (Brazilian Waterweed) - Egeria densa - E, SUB, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=29

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/139

HYDRILLA (Asian Milfoil) - Hydrilla verticillata - E, SUB, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1469&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/183

MAIDENCANE GRASS - Panicum hemitomon - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=682&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/306

NAIAD (Southern Naiad) - Najas spp. - N, SUB

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2087&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/280

PARROT FEATHER - Myriophyllum aquaticum - E, SUB, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1143

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/276

PICKERELWEED - Pontederia cordata - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3688&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/336

PONDWEED - Potamogeton illinoensis - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2736&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/341

SALVINIA (Water Spangles) - Salvinia minima - E, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1336&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/395

SEDGES (many species) - Cyperus spp. - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Genus.aspx?id=394

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/116

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/119

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/127

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/121

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/123

SMARTWEED (Knotweed) - Polygonum spp. - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3040&display=photos

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3871&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/333

SPATTERDOCK (Yellow Pond Lily, Cow Lily) - Nuphar advena - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3050&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/288

WATER HEMLOCK (poisonous) - Cicuta maculata - N, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3687&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/99

WATER HYACINTH - Eichhornia crassipes - E, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1319

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/141

WATER LETTUCE - Pistia stratiotes - E, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=4002&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/328

WATER PENNYWORT (Marsh Pennywort) - Hydrocotyle spp. - N, FLO

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3906&display=photos

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2907&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/187

WILD RICE - Zizania aquatica - N, EME

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3466&display=photos

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/481

REFERENCE SOURCES LINKS

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/browse.aspx?cat=Common+Name

http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/browse.aspx?cat=Scientific+Name

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/21

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/22

BASS FISHING OUR FREE-FLOWING RIVERS AND CREEKS

Experienced stream anglers know that the highly prized game fishes of the South's creeks and rivers--whether they be cold-water rainbow trout in the tumbling, free-stone mountain brooks of the Blue Ridge or largemouth bass in the cypress-lined, 73-degree F limestone spring runs of Florida--"hold" in a suitable area where they can face upstream to watch for any downstream-moving prey while being prepared to quickly ambush and eat it. In-stream rocks and submerged portions of natural wood (tree branches, "stobs", and trunks) along with undercut river banks are prime current-breaking, holding cover for all forms of riverine freshwater bass (black and/or striped). As far as fishing in swift-flowing rivers is concerned, the emergent and submerged water plants growing at a depth of from 3 to 8 feet are probably the most important aquatic "weeds" for largemouth bass structure. Surface-floating and/or top-matted water plants are normally less significant as bass-attracting habitat in streams because they offer very little strategic interruption of the current flowing beneath them.

REFERENCE AS: Nosca, P. 2015. "Aquatic vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida" webpage report. "Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca reports" website. Paul Nosca, Eureka, FL.

https://sites.google.com/site/ocklawahamanpaulnoscareports/aquatic-vegetation-of-the-ocklawaha-river-florida

Email: ocklawahaman1@gmail.com

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