PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Vasey's Pondweed (Potamogeton vaseyi)

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Photo by Matt Berg

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Vasey's Pondweed (Potamogeton vaseyi), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in bays of large soft-water lakes as well as rivers and ponds. Blooming occurs throughout July, fruiting early-August through early-September. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout August.

Potamogeton lateralis

 
 
 

Vasey's pondweed is a submergent/floating aquatic forb with cylindric spikes, 3-8 mm, with 1-4 whorls of flowers. Its fruits are obovoid, 1.5-2.5mm, with flat or shallowly pitted sides, with or without a low, rounded dorsal keel. Submersed leaves are thin and transparent, narrowly linear, 2-6cm long by 0.2-1mm wide, and sharply acute. Stipular sheaths are free, linear, scarcely encircle the stem, 4-10mm, weakly fibrous in age. Floating leaves are rather sparingly produced on at least some of the plants of a colony, the blades are spatulate to obovate, 8-15mm, 5-9-veined, the petioles are about as long as the blade.

Blooming occurs throughout July, fruiting early-August through early-September.

Annual. The optimal identification period for this species is throughout August.

Associated species include Elodea canadensis.

Vasey's pondweed is found in bays of large soft-water lakes as well as rivers and ponds.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Because this plant is an annual, work may safely be conducted before the plants emerge or after they have developed mature seeds.

This species is likely sensitive to water quality. Following BMPs around streams and buffering associated drainages will reduce eutrophication and prevent water quality degradation.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.