Contains 10 accepted taxa overall.

Characteristics
Potamogeton L.
PONDWEED
Classification
-
-
-
ALISMATALES
Potamogeton
Citation
POTAMOGETON Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 126. 1753.
-
TYPE: Potamogeton natans Linnaeus Lectotypified by Taylor, in Britton, N. Amer. Fl. 17(1): 14, 30. 1909.
Species
Scientific Name Common Name Herbarium Specimens Status Photos
Potamogeton berchtoldii ssp. berchtoldii Small Pondweed
Potamogeton confervoides Alga Pondweed, Conferva Pondweed, Tuckerman's Pondweed
Potamogeton diversifolius Common Snailseed Pondweed
Potamogeton epihydrus Ribbonleaf Pondweed
Potamogeton foliosus var. foliosus Leafy Pondweed
Potamogeton illinoensis Illinois Pondweed
Potamogeton nodosus Longleaf Pondweed, American Pondweed
Potamogeton oakesianus Oakes’s Pondweed
Potamogeton pulcher Spotted Pondweed, Heartleaf Pondweed
Potamogeton pusillus Small Pondweed
Identification Key
1.  Stipular sheaths of submersed leaves adnate to base of leaf blade, tip projecting as ligule
1.  Stipular sheaths of submersed leaves free from base of leaf blade or with only 1/–5 sheath adnate, ligule not obvious
2
2.  Submersed leaf blade filiform, linear, or ribbon-like, 0.1-10 mm wide
3
2.  Submersed leaf blades broadly linear-oblong, lanceolate, elliptic, to nearly orbiculate, 3-58 mm wide (occasional stranded plants without submersed leaves)
6
3.  Rhizomes present; floating leaves present, at least in some plants in population
4
3.  Rhizomes absent; floating leaves absent
5
4.  Lacunae prominent in submersed leaves
4.  Lacunae absent in submersed leaves
5.  Fruits with abaxial keel or ridge
5.  Fruits with abaxial surface rounded
6
6.  Leaf blade with 0-2 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute, rarely apiculate, rarely with bristle; stipules connate; peduncles filiform to cylindric, 1-3 per plant; inflorescences interrupted; mature fruits obovoid, sides concave, beak toward adaxial edge, rarely median
6.  leaf blade with 1-5 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute to obtuse; stipules convolute; peduncles cylindric, more than 3 per plant; inflorescences continuous; mature fruits widest at middle or ovoid, sides rounded, beak median, not toward adaxial edge
7.  Stem flattened; leaf blade margins conspicuously serrate; fruit beak 2–3 mm; turions formed, hard
7.  Stem terete; leaf blade margins entire; fruit beak 1 mm or less; turions rarely formed
8
8.  Submersed leaves clasping stem; floating leaves absent
8.  Submersed leaves petiolate or sessile (not clasping); floating leaves present
9
9.  Stem conspicuously rusty- or black-spotted; floating leaf blade rounded to cordate at base; submersed leaf blades crispate, mostly arcuate
9.  Stems without spots; floating leaf blade cuneate, tapering to petiole, rounded; submersed leaf blades flat or crispate, mostly not arcuate or occasionally arcuate
10
10.  Submersed leaves sessile or petioles to 4 cm long; larger submersed leaves acuminate at apex; fruits grayish green to olive-green
10.  Submersed leaves with petioles 0.5-13 cm long; larger submersed leaves acute at apex but without sharp awl-like tip; fruits red to reddish brown
Genus Synonyms
Synonym Full Citation Basionym Type
No synonyms found.