Determine Major Plant Communities

• Need to locate the sampling plot in a ‘representative’location

Locate Sampling Plot

• Emergent/ aquatic vegetation interface

Locate Sampling Plot

Locate Sampling Plot

Wetland Plants

Nonvascular Plants

Vascular Plants

Chara, Mosses; Lichen;Riccia fluitians; Ricciocarpus natans Woody

Plants Forbs

Grasslike

Low vascular plants

Ferns & Horsetails

LEAFLET

Figure 5. Leaf morphology.

Simple LeafCompound Leaf

BUD

PETIOLE

PETIOLE

Figure 6. Leaf arrangement.

Alternate Opposit Whorled Basal

Figure 7. Cross sections of selected leaves and stems (Adapted from Eggers and Reed 1997).

Typha leaf

Iris leaf

Sparganium leaf

Acorus leaf

Grass stem Carex, Scirpus stem

Emergent, Grasslike or Grass? Cross-sections

SparganiumBur-reed Leaf

Iris TyphaCattail Leaf

Carex, ScirpusSedge Stem

Grass Stem

Iris Leaf

Bulrush StemScirpus

Linear Lanceolate Ovate

BranchingElliptic Chordate

Figure 8. Leaf shape.

Major Plant GroupsNonvascular & Low Vascular PlantsGrass-like Plants: grasses, sedges and rushesAquatic Submergent ForbsAquatic Floating Leaved ForbsEmergent Forbs with Simple Basel Leaves

Emergent Forbs with Compound LeavesEmergent Sprawling or Twining ForbsEmergent Forbs with Simple Alternate Leaves (occasionally opposite)Emergent Forbs with Simple Opposite or Whorled LeavesWoody Plants (vines, shrubs and trees)

Nonvascular & Low Vascular

Lemna

(forb)

Small floating wetland plants

Generally less than 3 x 3 cm in size

Riccia

(nonvascular)

Spirodela

(forb)

Ricciocarpus(nonvascular)

Wolffia

(forb)2.5 cm

Small Floating-Vascular

Centimeters

Spirodela, Lemna, Wolffia

(Forb)

Aquatic floating leaved forbs

Grasslikes

Aquatic submergent forbs

Emergent forbs with basal leaves

Emergent forbs with compound leaves

Emergent sprawling/twining forbs

Emergent forbs with simple alternate leaves

Emergent forbs with simple opposite leaves

Woody Plants (Vines, Shrubs, or Trees)