Aquatic Plant Identification

Are you having difficulty identifying the aquatic plants in and around your waterway? Here is a compiled list of the most common species found in East Texas.

Plant Identification Categories

  • Alage- Generally found on surfaces varying colors and consistencies

  • Floating Plants- Float on the surface and grow hydroponically

  • Submerged Plants- Rooted plants and contain the majority of plant mass below the water surface

  • Emergent Plant- Rooted plant which extend above the water surface

Plant Identification

Alage

Algae are very primitive plants. Some algae are microscopic (planktonic algae). Others are thin and stringy or hair-like (filamentous algae). While still others are large and resemble higher plants but without true roots (chara).

Floating Plants

True floating plants are not attached to the bottom. Floating plants come in sizes from very small (duckweed) to over a foot in diameter (water hyacinth). Most, but not all, have roots that hang in the water from the floating green portions.

Submerged Plants

Submerged plants are rooted plants with most of their vegetative mass below the water surface, although some portions may stick above the water. One discerning characteristic of submerged plants is their flaccid or soft stems, which is why they do not usually rise above the water’s surface.

Emergent Plants

Emergent plants are rooted plants often along the shoreline that stand above the surface of the water (cattails). The stems of emergent plants are somewhat stiff or firm

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