Cedar Creek Natural History Area

Plants of Cedar Creek

Elodea canadensis (Elodea) is a common submergent aquatic plant of Fish Lake.  Leaves come in whorls of three's.  Vallisneria americana (Tape Grass) is another representative of the Frog’s Bit Family.  It is a submergent aquatic found in the sandy shallows of Fish Lake.  Reproduction in this plant is unusual.  'The solitary pistillate flower is carried to the surface on a long peduncle which becomes spiralled with age.  Numerous staminate flowers are released from a short spathe under water, float to the surface, and sail on an opened perianth until they contact a floating female flower.' Voss (1972).