Potamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus

(Mertens & W. D. J. Koch) R. R. Haynes & Hellquist

Novon 6: 370. 1996.

Common names: Potamot très ténu
Basionym: Potamogeton pusillus var. tenuissimus Mertens & W. D. J. Koch in J. C. Röhling, Deutschl. Fl. ed. 3, 1: 857. 1823
Synonyms: Potamogeton berchtoldii Fieber Potamogeton berchtoldii var. colpophilus (Fernald) Fernald Potamogeton berchtoldii var. lacunatus (Hagström) Fernald Potamogeton berchtoldii var. polyphyllus (Morong) Fernald Potamogeton berchtoldii var. tenuissimus (Mertens & W. D. J. Koch) Fernald
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 22.

Leaves: stipules convolute; blade 0.9–5.4 cm × 0.2–2.5 mm; apex acute to obtuse, lacunae in 1–5 rows each side of midrib; veins 1–3 (–5). Inflorescences: peduncles more than 3 per plant, cylindric to slightly clavate; spikes capitate to cylindric, continuous. Fruits ovoid, sides rounded, rarely concave; beak median, rarely toward adaxial edge. 2n = 26.


Phenology: Flowering and fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat: Shallow waters of lakes and streams
Elevation: 0–2100 m

Distribution

V22 485-distribution-map.jpg

Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon, Ala., Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mont., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., Vt., Va., Wash., Wis., Wyo., Eurasia

Discussion

Although Delaware and West Virginia lies within the mapped area, we know of no collections from that state.

Potamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus is the most common linear-leaved subspecies of the family in temperate North America. Whenever one finds a linear-leaved pondweed with 1–5 rows of lacunae on each side of the midvein, chances are that it is subsp. tenuissimus.

Only Potamogeton obtusifolius could be confused with the taxon, and it can be separated by having its cylindric inflorescence, whereas subsp. tenuissimus has a capitate inflorescence.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"shortened" is not a number."not elongating" is not a number."less" is not a number.

acute +  and obtuse +
Robert R. Haynes +  and C. Barre Hellquist +
(Mertens & W. D. J. Koch) R. R. Haynes & Hellquist +
tapering +
Potamogeton pusillus var. tenuissimus +
reddish +, pale green +  and olive-green +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (5.4 cm54 mm <br />0.054 m <br />) +
elliptic;ovate +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
terete +  and slightly compressed +
18 cm180 mm <br />0.18 m <br /> (150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br />) +
Potamot très ténu +
Alta. +, B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. +, N.W.T. +, N.S. +, Nunavut +, Ont. +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Sask. +, Yukon +, Ala. +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Ark. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Conn. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, Idaho +, Ill. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Ky. +, La. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Minn. +, Miss. +, Mont. +, Nev. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, N.Dak. +, Ohio +, Okla. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Vt. +, Va. +, Wash. +, Wis. +, Wyo. +  and Eurasia +
0–2100 m +
green +  and brown +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 m <br />) +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
white +, brown +, gold +  and green +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (?) +
Shallow waters of lakes and streams +
emersed +  and submersed +
axillary +  and terminal +
cylindric +  and capitate +
arranged +  and 2-ranked +
submersed +
not crispate +
orthotropous +
not pedunculate +
emersed +  and submersed +
cylindric +  and capitate +
not spiraling +
6.2 cm62 mm <br />0.062 m <br /> (6.6 cm66 mm <br />0.066 m <br />) +
not dimorphic +
recurved;erect +
terminal +  and axillary +
cylindric +  and slightly clavate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (6.2 cm62 mm <br />0.062 m <br />) +
Flowering and fruiting summer–fall. +
short-stipitate +  and stipitate +
4 +  and 1 +
auriculate +  and not auriculate +
not persisting +
concave +  and rounded +
not dimorphic +
emersed +  and submersed +
capitate +  and cylindric +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (1.01 cm10.1 mm <br />0.0101 m <br />) +
epitepalous +
compressed;terete +
brown +  and green or white +
free +  and connate +
inconspicuous +
0.31 cm3.1 mm <br />0.0031 m <br /> (0.92 cm9.2 mm <br />0.0092 m <br />) +
Potamogeton berchtoldii +, Potamogeton berchtoldii var. colpophilus +, Potamogeton berchtoldii var. lacunatus +, Potamogeton berchtoldii var. polyphyllus +  and Potamogeton berchtoldii var. tenuissimus +
Potamogeton pusillus subsp. tenuissimus +
Potamogeton pusillus +
subspecies +
fibrous +
0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br /> (3.2 cm32 mm <br />0.032 m <br />) +
terminal +  and lateral +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
caulescent +, not rhizomatous +  and rhizomatous +
annual +  and perennial +