Potamogeton pectinatus Illustration

Aquatic perennial, profusely branched, filiform, rhizomatous with tuberous winter-buds. Leaves submerged, acute to mucronate, narrowly linear, 1-2.5 mm wide; stipular sheath adnate to the leaf base, 2-8 cm long, tip short, acute, or mucronate margin white, open to the base. Spikes 1.5-2 cm long, cylindric 13-17 cm long and ± interrupted in fruit. Fruitlets 3-5 mm long, 2.5-3 mm broad, obliquely obovoid, smooth.

Fl. Per.: February-May.

Type: “Habitat in Europae fossis & paludibus” (Sweden).

Distribution: A cosmopolitan species, common throughout the hills and plains of Pakistan.

Very variable in size and thickness of leaf and stipular sheath. Potamogeton pectinatus L. differs from Potamogeton filiformis Pers. in having an open stipular sheaths, larger fruitlets and a short style.

This is used as manure, and tubers sometimes used as food.