Genus of the Month
October
This page has been created for people who want to learn more about plants, especially in the
context of their taxonomy (Latin names, etc.). This is by no means an exhaustive list of
all available Web resources for a particular genus.
If you like this page, you might also want to visit the Land of the Glandular Trichomes
, a microscopic look at plants in the Lamiaceae family. Also, you can see my contribution to the
Conservation New England web site, entitled
"The Introduction of Non-Native Plants into Massachusetts".
This month's genus:
Myriophyllum
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae
Superorder: Rosidae
Order: Haloragales
Family: Halorgaceae
Subfamily: Myriophylleae
Number of Species: about 12
Root: from the Greek "myri", meaning "too many to count", and "phyll", meaning "leaf".
The genus Myriophyllum is made up of freshwater aquatic species. Like many aquatic plants, leaved that are borne on submerged stems have a different, more complex morphology than those that grow above the water line. M. spicatum (Eurasion Watermilfoil) is considered a noxious weed in many parts of the U.S., while the South American species M. aquaticum (Parrot's Feather) is naturalized in parts of Europe. Many species in this genus are still being sold as aquarium plants.
Here are a few links to images and descriptions of different Myriophyllum species:
- Read about the history of the introduction of M. spicatum into North America at the "Nonindigenous Aquatic and Selected Terrestrial Species of Florida" web site.
- The Bay Grass Restoration web site has great photos and descriptions of M. aquaticum (Parrot's Feather), M. humile (Low Watermilfoil) and M. spicatum (Eurasian Watermilfoil).
- If you would like to read more about M. spicatum and its occurrence in America, visit this Nonindigenous Aquatic Species web page and scroll down to the extensive reference list. Also, be sure to check out this page, from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, Aquatic Nuisance Species pages.
References:
- Heywood, V.H., ed. Flowering Plants of the World. New York, Oxford University Press: 1993.
Current Genus of the Week
Jenn's Home Page
Kesseli Lab