| Potamogeton zosteriformis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Potamogetonaceae |
| Genus: | Potamogeton |
| Species: | P. zosteriformis |
| Binomial name | |
| Potamogeton zosteriformis Fernald |
|
Potamogeton zosteriformis is a species of aquatic plant known by the common names flatstem pondweed and eel-grass pondweed. It is native to much of northern North America, including most of Canada and the northern United States. It grows in water bodies such as ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams. This plant produces a very narrow, flattened, winged stem up to a roughly a meter in maximum length. The rigid, light green leaves are linear in shape, up to 20 centimeters long but less than 1 wide. The inflorescence is a spike of flowers arising from the water surface on a peduncle a few centimeters long. The plant often produces turions, a specialized bud that may resprout after a dormant winter.