- Water lilies may float their leaves at the surface while rooting in sediments below.A couple of water lilies image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
A good first step in identifying an aquatic plant is defining its structure and location. Some float at the surface; others are rooted in the sediments and either rear out of the water as emergents or waft within it. - The above-water stalks and heads of cattails are distinctive.cattail image by Derek Abbott from Fotolia.com
Pick out major features of the plant. These might be obvious, such as the broad floating leaves of water lilies or the bold flower head of tall cattails. This also helps you separate out closely related species. Defining the shape and size of leaves can distinguish different kinds of pondweed. - Giant cane and switch cane often form dense "canebrakes" in bottomlands of the American South.cane image by Vasiliy Koval from Fotolia.com
Consider your geographic location when examining an aquatic plant. Viewed from a distance, a marsh-edge brake of cane or thicket of bulrush, which are grasses and sedges, respectively, might look superficially similar, but you can be sure such plants are bulrushes along a Columbia Plateau slough, where no cane is found naturally.
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