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Great Lakes Center, SAMC 319
SUNY Buffalo State
1300 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222
wnyprism@buffalostate.edu
(716) 878.4708
Brazilian elodea is a submerged perennial that looks similar to american waterweed (Elodea canadensis), a common native aquatic plant. Brazilian elodea has finely-toothed leaves that are bright green, bushy, and are usually arranged in whorls of four around the stem. The plant has round stems that can grow in water up to 20 ft. deep and often branches near the surface. It reproduces via plant fragmentation.
Brittle naiad is an herbaceous annual that grows in dense clusters. Its leaves have visible serrations and are long, pointed and oppositely arranged on highly branched stems. The plant can reproduce from stem fragments, or from small seeds which grow along its stem.
Carolina fanwort forms extremely dense stands that clog drainage systems and waterways, interfering with recreational activities. Dense stands also negatively impact native biodiversity.
Curly-leaf pondweed is a submerged perennial that resembles many native pondweeds. Care must be taken to correctly identify this species. Rigid, reddish-green, oblong leaves have distinct, finely-toothed, wavy edges. The plant's flat, reddish-brown stem grows from 1-16 ft. Most reproduction is from winter buds, called turions.
Eurasian watermilfoil is a submerged perennial that looks like many native aquatic plants, including native milfoil species.
European frog-bit is a free-floating, short-lived perennial. The leaves are leathery and round with undersides that may be dark purple. Flowers are white with yellow centers, and bloom in the summer.
Flowering rush is a perennial, herbaceous, aquatic plant that grows 1-4 ft. tall, on an erect stem. The narrow, pointed leaves are triangular in cross section and have smooth edges and parallel veins.
Parrot feather is an aquatic perennial species named for its bright green, feather-like appearance.
Variable-leaf watermilfoil is a submerged perennial that looks like many native plants, including native watermilfoil species. It has 4-6 feathery leaves whorled around the stem, but some leaves can be alternate. Its leaves are divided into 7-14 pairs of leaflets, the dense leaf arrangement gives this plant a bottle brush appearance. Stems are thick and reddish-brown. In mid to late summer, blade-like, serrated leaves with small, reddish pink flowers form an erect spike that emerges from the water.
Water chestnut is a fast-growing, floating annual that can grow to 16 ft. The most distinctive trait of this plant is its thorny nutlets.
Waterwheel is an herbaceous carnivorous, aquatic plant that captures small, aquatic invertebrates using clamshell-type traps, similar to the venus flytrap. It floats just below the water's surface and has stems 2-8 inches long, with whorls of 5-9 leaves. Waterwheel rarely flowers, but when it does, the small, greenish-white flowers emerge from the water, while the fruit capsules are held underwater.
Report an Invasive Species
wnyprism@buffalostate.edu
(716) 878.4708