Nitella
Nitella spp. · Algae
Out of the water · Photo: Ewan Shilland / CC BY
Also called Nitella flexilis, Brittlewort, Stonewort, Moss, Stonewort (nitella)
How to identify Nitella
- Smooth, glossy, bright green branched strands with forked branchlets
- Soft and flexible with no lime crust or grit
- Little or no smell when crushed
- Branchlets often end in two or more fine points
Similar species
Muskgrass is gritty and smells musky; fine leaved pondweeds and naiads have true leaves and roots.
Growth profile
| Season | Grows from late spring through fall and can persist green through winter in deeper water. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 45 to 50 F water |
| Light | Tolerates lower light than most plants |
| Depth | Bottom, from shallows to 20 feet or more in clear water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Fragments and spores carried by waterfowl and gear |
| Habitat | Clear, softer or slightly acidic lakes and ponds over sand or soft mud, often deeper than muskgrass. |
Why it matters in a lake
Usually low growing and seldom a nuisance. Its presence generally points to clear water.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Charophyta |
| Class | Charophyceae |
| Order | Charales |
| Family | Characeae |
| Scientific name | Nitella spp. |
Muskgrass
Tolypella
Starry stonewort
Spirogyra
Cladophora
Horsehair algaeNeed a hand?
Is it taking over your lake?
We identify what is growing, map how much of it there is and build a control plan that targets it without harming the rest of the lake.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596