Stuckenia pectinata (L.) B”rner, Potamogetonaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Potamogeton pectinatus L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: bi chi yan zi cai

English: bushy pondweed, fennel pondweed, fennel-leaved pondweed, pondweed, sago pondweed

French: potamot pectine

Hawaiian: limu alolo

Japanese: ryunohigemo

Spanish: huiro, luchecillo, senill

Habit:  aquatic herb

Description:  "Plants completely submerged; stems filiform, terete, 3-8 (-10) dm long, many-branched throughout most of their length, arising from slender, creeping rhizomes, these terminated by a slender white tuber 1-1.5  cm long.  Leaves all similar, filiform, 20-120 (-150) mm long, 0.2-0.8 (-1) mm wide, 1 (3)-nerved, apex attenuate, stipules adnate to leaf base, forming a slender sheath around the stem (10-) 20-30 mm long, persistent, occasionally spreading from the leaf, the upper portion forming a short hyaline ligule.  Flowers in slender spikes 10-30 mm long, usually with 2-6 unequally spaced whorls of flowers, peduncles slender, 10-150 (-250) mm long; tepals brownish green, 1-1.5 mm long.  Fruit obliquely ovoid, 2.5-4.2 mm long, the dorsal keel low, rounded, the 2 lateral keels inconspicuous, style persistent"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1608).

Description from the Flora of North America

Habitat/ecology:  Found in ditches, streams and impoundments.  Mainly a freshwater plant, but will tolerate water with a very high salt content.  It forms dense, closed communities that discourage the growth of competitors.  "Its success comes also from the ability to colonize areas of deep water or other places where native vegetation is sparse; shaded places, swift flowing waters, and sometimes ditches and ponds that are badly polluted.  Extensive meadows of this species are at times seen in very saline waters"  (Holm et al., 1997; p. 631).

In Hawai‘i, "sparingly naturalized in ponds and along water courses, 0-5 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1608).

Propagation:  Floating seed and asexually by tubers, stolons and vegetative fragments (Holm et al., 1997; pp. 632-637).

Native range:  Eurasia, Africa, Australia and North America (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1608).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. (1995) (p. 25) Voucher cited: Stemmermann & Luce 7179 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1608) Voucher cited: St. John 22968 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1608)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
Japan Japan	Japan		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	native	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 38) "In hard and brackish waters, usually near the coast".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Doll, Jerry/Holm, Eric/Pancho, Jaun/Herberger, James (1997) (p. 630)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Stuckenia pectinata, please let us know.