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Howell's quillwort

Isoetes howellii · Aquatic plants

Howell's quillwort: Out of the water

Out of the water · Photo: Kyle Elshoff / CC BY

NativeSubmerged

Also called Quillwort

How to identify Howell's quillwort

  • Rosette of slender, bright green quills
  • Becomes stranded and dries as pools shrink
  • Spores held in leaf bases

Similar plants

Nuttall's quillwort grows on wet ground rather than in water, and Bolander's quillwort grows in permanent mountain lakes.

Growth profile

Growing seasonGrows in late winter and spring while pools hold water and matures spores by early summer as pools dry.
Starts growingCool water, roughly 40 to 50 F
LightNeeds shallow clear water
DepthA few inches to 3 feet
How it spreadsSpores
HabitatSeasonal pools, shallow ponds and reservoir margins in low and middle elevations.

Why it matters in a lake

Lives where water stands only part of the year. Of little management concern.

Where it is found

  • Idaho: Rare
  • Oregon: Occasional
  • Wyoming: Not recorded

Classification

KingdomPlantae
PhylumTracheophyta
ClassLycopodiopsida
OrderIsoetales
FamilyIsoetaceae
Scientific nameIsoetes howellii

More submerged plants

Eurasian watermilfoilCurly leaf pondweedBrazilian elodeaCoontailElodeaSago pondweedLeafy pondweedCommon bladderwortWhite water buttercupSlender naiad

Browse all aquatic plants in the Species Database

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