Water spike : It is an aquatic grass rooted in shallow bottoms.
Summary
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- 1 Origin of plants
- 2 Etymology
- 3 Features
- 4 sheets
- 5 Shape
- 6 Habit
- 7 Inflorescence
- 8 fruits
- 9 Phytosociological behavior
- 10 ecological requirements
- 11 Flowering
- 12 Temperature
- 13 Distribution
- 14 Multiplication
- 15 Care
- 16 Sources
Origin of plants
Etymology
The generic name is dedicated to the Italian botanist Pontedera who lived in the 18th century .
characteristics
Aquatic grass, perennial. Rhizome up to 3 mm in diameter, with internodes of 15-130 mm, yellowish or orange with small reddish spots. Stems 0.9-3 mm in diameter, circular in section, with internodes 20-175 (205) mm, slightly branched, generally greenish; trio-type stele, rarely oblong, with fibrovascular cords in the cortex; endodermis type U.
Leaves
Narrow and long, submerged leaves that look like green threads, in masses, of a bright dark green color.
Dimorphic leaves, in specimens in fruit also homomorphic due to fall or decomposition of the lower leaves of the stem, petiolated, with an intrafoliar sheath, the lower ones, if any, reduced to phyllodes; intrafoliar sheath (25) 30-80 x (1.5) 2-5 (6) mm, lanceolate, acute, open, fibrous, with 2 keels on the back, persistent, whitish, rarely membranous and fallen; phyllodes 120-230 x 1-2.5 mm, submerged, closely linear, semicircular or elliptical in section, with 3-5 ribs; floating, leathery, opaque stockings and tops, petiole (20) 35-150 (205) x 0.7-2.5 (3) mm, ribbed, frequently forming a discolored fold at the junction with the limbus, limbus (16) 40-110 x (4) 20- 50 mm, ovate or broadly elliptic, generally obtuse, muchronized, with cordate or rarely attenuated base, whole, with 13-25 nerves, green.
Shape
Its shape is that of branched hair and combed by the current. With a maximum size of 150 cm.
Inhabit
It lives in ponds, ditches, ponds, lagoons in both fresh and brackish water, from sea level to 800 meters of altitude.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence 20-60 x 3-8 (10) mm in anthesis, 20-70 x 8-13 mm in fruiting, cylindrical, with (8) 25-45 densely arranged flowers, pedunculated; peduncle 17-90 x 0.8-3 mm, cylindrical, erect, the same thickness and color as the stem.
Tepals 2-3 (3.3) x 1.6-2.5 mm.
Anthers 0.8-1.5 x 0.4-1.7 mm, ellipsoidal. Gynecium generally with the 4 developed carpels.
Fruits
Fruit in drupe, 3.5-5 x 2-3.1 (3.4) mm, obovoid, with beak, asymmetric, with flat ventral area, dorsal convex and sometimes slightly keeled, greenish; peak 0.5-1 mm, ventral or subcentral.
It blooms from May to September .
Phytosociological behavior
It is a plant characteristic of:
- Potametea class. Freshwater or nearly rooted plants in which Myriophyllum spicatum and Potamogeton natans are characteristic.
Ecological requirements
- Light: Twilight.
- Temperature: Moderate heat.
- Montane floor mainly.
- Continentality: Intermediate.
- Humidity: Flooded floors.
- Acidity: Soils rich in bases;
- pH 5.5-8; alkalinity indicator.
- Nitrogen: Moderately poor or slightly rich soils; it is not present in heavily fertilized soils.
Flowering
From June – August It is characterized by the great flowering that accompanies us almost all summer.
– Small flower spike of a beautiful blue color, formed of six elements welded at the base.
– Flowering from summer to early autumn.
Temperature
Resistant to strong frosts.
Distribution
Circumboreal and in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. N, O and C of the Iberian Peninsula.
Multiplication
Prune the stems, group them in corsages that will subsequently ballast them so that they take root at the bottom of the pond.
Watch out
As for its location, and always taking into account its growth of up to a meter, it is advisable to keep them close to the sun, but not directly within the reach of the sun’s rays, since then some irreparable damage could be caused. In the same way, it is necessary that our pond has a depth of at least 30 or 40 centimeters.
