Common Plants of Saint John’s Wet Areas

Plants of open water, like lakes and ponds, can exhibit a variety of growth forms. For example, Introduction: some species: (1) float on the surface of the The many lakes, marshes, and wet meadows at water and are not rooted in the substrate (e.g., Saint John’s provide habitat for a rich flora of Spirodela, Lemna minor, Wolfia); (2) float aquatic plants or hydrophytic plants. Aquatic submerged under the water and are not rooted in ecosystem names are loosely based on their the substrate (e.g., Lemna trisulca, Utricularia, hydrologic properties. Lakes are typically Ceratophyllum); (3) have leaves that float on the large, open bodies of water with at least some surface but are rooted in the substrate (e.g., windswept shoreline. Wetlands vary widely in Brasenia schreiberi, Nuphar variegatum, their hydrology and have unique plant Nymphaea odorata; (4) are completely communities as a result. Open marshes are submerged (except for the flowering shoot) and highly productive and are dominated by are rooted (e.g., Elodea, Potamogeton, emergent species which are rooted in the soil Myriophyllum, Vallisneria, Ranunculus and send shoots into the air above the water. flabellaris); and (5) dimorphic plants with both submerged and floating leaves and are rooted Common plants in these areas include cattails (e.g., Potamogeton). (Typha sp.), bur reed (Sparganium sp.), arrowhead (Sagittaria sp.) and an assortment of Some common adaptations exhibited by species sedges (Carex sp. and Cyperus sp.) and rushes of open water include: (1) thin, highly-dissected (Scirpus sp.). An excellent example of an open leaves; (2) no cuticle; (3) no roots; (4) stomata marsh wetland can be seen in the large habitat on the upper sides of leaves; (5) reproduction by restoration area near the I-94 entrance to the fragmentation; (f) flowers produced above or on campus. Shallower marshes and ephemeral the water surface for pollination (e.g., ponds are often dominated by reed canary grass Utricularia). In a few species (e.g., (Phalaris arundinacea), a circumglobal species Vallisneria) the male flowers are produced that has both native and highly invasive underwater but the flowers and/or pollen floats European strains. The later was imported for to the surface for pollination; (g) aerenchyma forage because it has fewer toxic alkaloids and tissue to provide a route for air to diffuse to tastes better to livestock. This strain has roots; out-competed other plants, forming large monocultures. Prairie cord grass (Spartina Plants of marshes are typically emergent (rooted pectinata) is another common native grass at the in the substrate and emerge above the surface of edge of wetlands at St. John’s. the water). These plants must be adapted to having their roots permanently or seasonally Not all wetlands have standing water. In fact, flooded. Marshes are among the most many wetland communities have constantly productive and provide floodwater retention, saturated soil, but little, or no, obvious surface habitat for wildlife, and protect shorelines from water. Often, these areas are dominated with erosion. Some common plants in these areas moisture-loving shrubs such as red osier include cattails (Typha sp.) and bulrush (Scirpus dogwood (Cornus sericia), speckled alder sp.). (Alnus rugosa), and a variety of willows (Salix sp.). These so called “shrub carrs” are often Of the wetland plants that occur at St. John's, found in the zone between upland forests and some are 'obligate' wetland species such as open water marshes. Potamogeton, Typha) that only grow in wet 2 | P l a n t s o f W e t A r e a s areas, while others are 'facultative' wetland perfoliatum, Vitis riparia) that usually grow in species such as Fraxinus nigra, Eupatorium wet, though can occur in drier areas.

Checklist of Some Common Species

ALISMATACEAE – Water-plantain Family CAMPANULACEAE – Lobelia Family  Alisma subcordatum – Water plantain Lobelia siphilitica – Great blue lobelia  Sagittaria sp. – Arrowhead CERATOPHYLLACEAE – Hornwort Family AQUIFOLIACEAE – Holly Family  Ceratophyllum demersum – Coontail,  Ilex verticillata – Winterberry hornwort

ARACEAE – Arum family CORNACEAE – Dogwood Family  Calla palustris – Water-arum  Cornus alba (=sericea, stolonifera) – Red  Lemna minor– Lesser duckweed osier dogwood  Lemna trisulca – Star duckweed  Lemna turionifera – Turion duckweed CUCURBITACEAE – Gourd Family  Spirodela polyrhiza – Greater Duckweed  Echinocystis lobata – Wild cucumber  Wolfia columbiana – Water meal CYPERACEAE – Sedge Family APOCYNACEAE – Dogbane Family  Carex sp. – sedge  Asclepias incarnata – Swamp milkweed  Cyperus sp. – Nut grass, umbrella sedge  Scirpus sp. – Bulrush ASTERACEAE – Sunflower Family  Bidens cernua – Nodding beggar-ticks; EQUISETACEAE – Horsetail Family bur-marigold  Equisetum sp. – Horsetail  Eutrochium (=Eupatorium) perfoliatum – boneset HALORAGACEAE – Water-Milfoil Family  Eutrochium (Eupatorium) maculatum – Joe  Myriophyllum sibericum – Northern Pye weed watermilfoil

BALSAMINACEAE – Touch-Me-Not Family HYDROCHARITACEAE  Impatiens capensis – Spotted touch-me-not,  Elodea canadensis – Canada waterweed jewelweed IRIDACEAE – Iris family BETULACEAE – Birch Family  Iris versicolor – Blue flag  Alnus incana ssp. rugosa – Speckled alder  Betula pumila – Bog birch LAMIACEAE – Mint Family  Lycopus americanus – American BRASSICACEAE (Cruciferae) – Mustard water-horehound Family  Nasturtium officinale – Small-leaved LENTIBULARIACEAE watercress  Utricularia sp. – Bladderwort

CABOMBACEAE – Cabomba Family NYMPHAEACEAE – Water lily Family  Brasenia schreberi – Watershield  Nuphar variegata – Yellow pondlily  Nymphaea odorata – White waterlily 3 | P l a n t s o f W e t A r e a s

OLEACEAE – Olive family  Fraxinus nigra – Black ash SAPINDACEAE (ACERACEAE) – Sapindus family PINACEAE – Pine family  Acer negundo – Box elder  Larix laricina – Tamarack  Acer saccharinum – Silver maple

POACEAE – Grass Family TYPHACAEAE – Cattail Family  Phalaris arundinacea – Reed canarygrass  Sparganium eurycarpum – Bur-reed  Typha angustifolia – Narrow-leaved cattail POLYGONACEAE – Smartweed Family  Typha latifolia – Broad-leaved cattail  Persicaria (=Polygonum) amphibia –  Typha x glauca – hybrid between the two water smartweed species above

POTAMOGETONACEAE – Pond Weed URTICACEAE – Nettle Family Family  Urtica dioica – Stinging nettle  Potamogeton sp. – Pondweed VITACEAE – Grape Family SALICACEAE – Willow Family  Vitis riparia – Wild or riverbank grape  Salix sp. – willow

References: • Blickenderfer, M. 2007. A Field Guide to the • Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Identification of Minnesota Aquatic Minnesota and Wisconsin. – An outstanding Plants. UM Extension Service. web site by USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife • Carlson, R.A. & JB Moyle. 1975. Key to the Research Center based on the Eggers & Reed Common Aquatic Plants of Minnesota. book. Contains images, descriptions and a Special Publication No. 53. Minnesota wealth of other information. Department of Conservation, St. Paul. (http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/ • Crow, GE and CB Hellquist. 2000. Aquatic mnplant/index.htm) and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America. Volume 1: Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms: Dicotyledons. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. • Crow, GE and CB Hellquist. 2000. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America. Volume2: Angiosperms: Mono- cotyledons. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. • Eggers, SD & DM Reed. 1997. Wetland Plants and Plant Communities of Minnesota & Wisconsin. 2nd edition. US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul.