Native, warm season, perennial, rhizomatous herb with roots often ending in tubers. Leaves are strap-like, fleshy and thick, to 2 m long and 3 cm wide; semi-erect or floating. Flowerheads are spike-like and to 30 cm long. Flowers form green globose fruits 5-10 mm long. Flowering is from spring to autumn. Widespread and common in still or slow-flowing (slightly saline to fresh) water of streams and swamps; mostly coastal. Tolerant of high nutrient levels in water. Grows in mud or water to 2 m deep. Fruit are spread by water. Leaves have high digestibility and crude protein. Palatability is variable; leaves are often shunned by livestock, but at other times are readily eaten. Fruits and tubers are eaten by waterbirds. Do not graze below the waterline and allow to flower for best persistence.


Date: 14 March 2005, 10:36
Source: Cycnogeton procerum fruit1
Author: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia
Camera location: 30° 58′ 28.23″ S, 152° 55′ 24.87″ E

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