Curled Pondweed - Potamogeton crispus
The Greek name given by Botanists to this genus of plants, commonly known as pondweeds, comes from two words : potamos = river and geiton = neighbour and it undoubtedly underlines the aquatic habitat where these weeds live.
The Curled Pondweed is an elegant waterweed, almost two metres long with very branched, square stems and totally submerged leaves.
The leaves are lanceolate, wavy at the margins, glossy and smooth, green or brown depending on the depth of the water where they grow.
The flowers are gathered in short spikes at the tip of slender stalks emerging from the water surface. It lives in bogs, marshes, ditches, canals and running waters. It prefers water that is quite rich in nutrients and so can resist a certain degree of pollution.
It is widespread and common throughout practically all Italy. Its membranous leaves are much appreciated by carp and tench and many fresh water gasteropod molluscs, like pondsnails (Lymnaea) and Ramshorn snails (Planorbidae).
