Easily recognizable in an aquarium, Littorella uniflora produces a carpet of fat and fleshy leaves. The plant sends out runners and can be grown in low light environments.
Water requirements
Often called "Shoreweed", Littorella uniflora is a small aquatic plant with a stolons that form colonies. This species is found in shallow lakes, freshwater ponds, and other bodies of water. It grows in a variety of habitats, including dark and clear water lakes, as well as sandy and gravel shorelines.
While this species is not commonly found in the United States, it does occur in lakes in Canada and adjacent regions. It is a member of the Ranunculus flammula species, a group of small linear-leaved aquatic plants.
The American Shoreweed has basal clumps of linear leaves that are 1 to 4 inches long. The leaves are basal and round in cross section. They are 1 to 2.2 mm wide and have a single vein.
The flowers are monoecious and are pollinated by wind. The basal clump has two types of leaves, a stout, stubby, and a rhizome. The stubby leaves produce small seeds, which are brown or black.
In addition to the flowers, the American Shoreweed has an interesting colony-forming habit. This species has stolons that connect clumps of leaves, similar to Ranunculus flammula.
Growing conditions
Often referred to as "Shoreweed," Littorella uniflora is a low-growing aquatic plant that is often used as a carpeting plant. This low-maintenance plant is suited to a variety of tank conditions, from the lowly CO2 aquarium to the high-tech terrarium.
Littorella uniflora can be found in a variety of environments, including shallow waters of freshwater ponds and lagoons, temporary inundated depressions in sand, and rocky shores in the Mediterranean. It can even survive submerged in a pond. Its flowers are obscure, however.
Littorella uniflora is one of several rosette species that can survive submerged. In fact, this plant makes the most of the aquatic environment.
Littorella uniflora, or Shoreweed as it is often called, can be found in the wild, growing in freshwater lakes and lagoons throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. The plant grows in clumps of basal leaves, with stolons, or horizontal stems, connecting the leaves to create a rosette. Its female flowers are hidden within the basal leaf clump.
Flowering time
Previously, it was thought that Littorella uniflora (L.) Ascherson, which occurs in northern Europe and Iceland, was a rare species. However, new collections suggest that the distribution of this plant is more extensive than previously thought.
Littorella uniflora grows in shallow water and along the shore line of freshwater ponds and lakes. It also grows along the margins of tarns and tarn-lakes. The plant forms a dense mat in water. The leaves are linear.
Flowers occur in clusters of 2-5 in the leaf axils. The female flowers are cup-shaped, with 4 lance-oblong green sepals. The male flowers have 4 long stamens that extend from a tube. The flowers are pollinated by wind.
Littorella uniflora is a member of the plant family Plantaginaceae. The species is ecologically significant in several habitats. It grows in a wide range of climatic zones and is widely disjunct in its geographic distribution.
It has been extensively studied by European researchers. Molecular phylogeny supports Europe as the center of origin for Littorella.
Threats to the plant
Several threats to Littorella uniflora include pollution, development, and disturbances to its habitat. This plant grows in shallow freshwater lakes and ponds, often in gravel, sandy, or clear waters. It forms colonies by rhizomes. It is a member of the genus Littorella, which includes isoetids. These plants have strong basal leaves and large root biomass. In the past, shallower littoral isoetids have been found to depths of 4.0 m, but recent surveys revealed that this plant has also been found to depths of 2.0 m.
Littorella uniflora is a member of the family Plantaginaceae. It grows in shallow freshwater ponds, lagoons, and temporary inundated depressions. Its flowers are monoecious, with four sepals and four stamens. The stamens are pollinated by wind. The female flower has a long stigmatic style.
The rhizosphere of Littorella uniflora is rich in archaeal amoA, which is 500-8,000-fold enriched over bacterial amoA. This may result in enhanced nitrification. These results suggest that archaeal amoA might be related to enhanced nitrification.
