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)