Hydrocharitaceae

Limnobium laevigatum

Common Names: Frogbit

Plant Form: Perennial floating aquatic herb. Size: Up to 50 cm high. Stem: Tangled, green, below surface. Leaves: Bright green, glossy on top, up to 4 cm diameter, floating or emergent, rounded, in rosettes. Flowers: White to pale yellow, about 13 mm wide. Male flowers on longer stalks. Fruit and Seeds: Fleshy, berry-like capsule 4-13 mm long with up to 100 tiny slightly flattened and hairy seeds within. Habitat: Ponds, dams, rivers, lakes, canals. Distinguishing Features: More rounded leaves than Spongeplant (Limnobium spongia), and smaller leaves than native Frogbit (Limnobium species). Impacts: Outcompetes and replaces native species, hides water surface, blocks waterways, reduces fish habitat.