Water Milfoils - natives (Myriophyllum crispatum and M. verrucosum)

Family: Haloragaceae (Raspwort family).

Natives of Australia.

Occurrence: Widespread and common in shallow water and shallow slow moving streams. There are numerous species. Common Milfoil (Myriophyllum crispatum) and Red Water Milfoil (M. verrucosum) are the most common.

Identification:

• they are aquatic or semi-aquatic plants
• the plants are usually partly submerged; the submerged leaves are often different to the exposed leaves
• the leaves are often in rings around the stem; they may be threadlike or with leaflets
• the plants may often be found on banks of streams or lakes.

Similar weed species: M. aquaticum is an aquarium escape. Both submerged and exposed leaves are in rings around the stem, the leaves are deeply toothed (like the teeth of a comb) and are bluish-green in colour.

Photos: Photo 1, 2: Common Water Milfoil (green) and Red Water Milfoil.
3: Common Water Milfoil. Ringwood garden. 4: Red Water Milfoil. Banks of the Loddon River at Newstead.
5: Common Water Milfoil. Vaughan. 6. Red Water Milfoil, in shallow Tullaroop Reservoir.