Western quillwort
Isoetes occidentalis · Aquatic plants
Whole plant · Photo: Deniz Wilson / CC0
Also called Flaccid quillwort
How to identify Western quillwort
- Rosette of stiff, dark green quills
- Grows completely underwater, often deeper than other quillworts
- Spores in pockets at the leaf bases
Similar plants
Bolander's quillwort is softer and smaller, and needle spikerush lacks the swollen spore bearing leaf bases.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Grows after ice out through summer and matures spores in late summer; corms persist through winter. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | After ice out, about 40 F water |
| Light | Needs clear water |
| Depth | 1 to 15 feet |
| How it spreads | Spores |
| Habitat | Cold, clear mountain lakes over sand, gravel or silt. |
Why it matters in a lake
A slow growing plant of deep, clear mountain lakes. Indicates good water quality.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Rare
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Lycopodiopsida |
| Order | Isoetales |
| Family | Isoetaceae |
| Scientific name | Isoetes occidentalis |
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Slender naiadNeed a hand?
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