(8.2) FLORA and FAUNA - Aquatic Vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida
Aquatic Vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida
An Information, Opinion, & Sources Report
Compiled by Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca
Created: 09 September 2013
Last Revised: 29 May 2015
INTRODUCTION
Aquatic vegetation in luxuriant amounts and of many forms is observed by the canoeing bass angler float-fishing along with the swift currents of the Ocklawaha River. The following list contains 20 or so of the aquatic plant species that inhabit the mainstream waters of Marion County's free-flowing Ocklawaha River--between Lake Ocklawaha (Rodman Pool/Rodman Reservoir) and the inflow of Silver River. Some of these identified plants occur much more abundantly than others from the list in this "middle" section of the river. Silver River and the "lower" Ocklawaha River downstream of Rodman Dam (Kirkpatrick Dam) would exhibit most of the same in-stream vegetation.
NOTE: Click-on links to view data/photos of individual aquatic plant species!
CODE:
E (exotic),
N (native),
EME (emergent, rooted in the bottom but protruding above the surface),
FLO (floating and/or matted on the surface),
SUB (submerged/submersed underwater).
In Alphabetical Order by COMMON NAME
COMMON NAME(s) - Scientific Name - CODE
ALLIGATOR WEED - Alternanthera philoxeroides - E, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1343&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/33
ARROWHEAD (many species) - Sagittaria spp. - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2817&display=photos
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=890&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/388
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/391
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/387 (Strap-leaf Sagittaria [Sagittaria kurziana] may be easily confused with Eelgrass [Vallisneria americana])
BULLRUSH - Scirpus spp. - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=879&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/407
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/413
COONTAIL MOSS (Hornwort) - Ceratophyllum demersum - N, SUB, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2281&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/94
DUCKWEED - Lemna spp. - N, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=593&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/226
EELGRASS (Tapegrass, Wild Celery) - Vallisneria americana - N, SUB, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2090&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/465 (Eelgrass [Vallisneria americana] may be easily confused with Strap-leaf Sagittaria [Sagittaria kurziana])
EGERIA (Brazilian Waterweed) - Egeria densa - E, SUB, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=29
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/139
HYDRILLA (Asian Milfoil) - Hydrilla verticillata - E, SUB, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1469&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/183
MAIDENCANE GRASS - Panicum hemitomon - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=682&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/306
NAIAD (Southern Naiad) - Najas spp. - N, SUB
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2087&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/280
PARROT FEATHER - Myriophyllum aquaticum - E, SUB, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1143
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/276
PICKERELWEED - Pontederia cordata - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3688&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/336
PONDWEED - Potamogeton illinoensis - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2736&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/341
SALVINIA (Water Spangles) - Salvinia minima - E, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1336&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/395
SEDGES (many species) - Cyperus spp. - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Genus.aspx?id=394
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/116
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/119
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/127
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/121
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/123
SMARTWEED (Knotweed) - Polygonum spp. - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3040&display=photos
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3871&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/333
SPATTERDOCK (Yellow Pond Lily, Cow Lily) - Nuphar advena - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3050&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/288
WATER HEMLOCK (poisonous) - Cicuta maculata - N, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3687&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/99
WATER HYACINTH - Eichhornia crassipes - E, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=1319
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/141
WATER LETTUCE - Pistia stratiotes - E, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=4002&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/328
WATER PENNYWORT (Marsh Pennywort) - Hydrocotyle spp. - N, FLO
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3906&display=photos
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=2907&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/187
WILD RICE - Zizania aquatica - N, EME
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=3466&display=photos
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/481
REFERENCE SOURCES LINKS
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/browse.aspx?cat=Common+Name
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/browse.aspx?cat=Scientific+Name
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/21
http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/22
BASS FISHING OUR FREE-FLOWING RIVERS AND CREEKS
Experienced stream anglers know that the highly prized game fishes of the South's creeks and rivers--whether they be cold-water rainbow trout in the tumbling, free-stone mountain brooks of the Blue Ridge or largemouth bass in the cypress-lined, 73-degree F limestone spring runs of Florida--"hold" in a suitable area where they can face upstream to watch for any downstream-moving prey while being prepared to quickly ambush and eat it. In-stream rocks and submerged portions of natural wood (tree branches, "stobs", and trunks) along with undercut river banks are prime current-breaking, holding cover for all forms of riverine freshwater bass (black and/or striped). As far as fishing in swift-flowing rivers is concerned, the emergent and submerged water plants growing at a depth of from 3 to 8 feet are probably the most important aquatic "weeds" for largemouth bass structure. Surface-floating and/or top-matted water plants are normally less significant as bass-attracting habitat in streams because they offer very little strategic interruption of the current flowing beneath them.
REFERENCE AS: Nosca, P. 2015. "Aquatic vegetation of the Ocklawaha River, Florida" webpage report. "Ocklawahaman Paul Nosca reports" website. Paul Nosca, Eureka, FL.
Email: ocklawahaman1@gmail.com
End.