Plant ID Help

[seiji64]

I collected these in NY from a small stream by the road. They were abundant in the area where I found them and assume they are common aquatic plants.

The first 2 pics were taken 3 weeks ago:
Plant #1


Plant #2


Here's one from yesterday. I was hoping the plant on the left would stay low and compact, but it doesn't look like it is going to.


Doug

[scientist0724]

Plant #1 looks like water sprite.

Arlene

[Cavan]

The first one is probably this (genus name is misspelled - should be Cardamine):
http://www.missouriplants.com/Whitealt/ ... _page.html

Definitely something from Brassicaceae (mustard family)

The second, I don't know. I have seen it myself growing at a steam in Brookside Gardens (even in the middle of the winter), but I can't tell you what it is.

[seiji64]

Thanks Cavan! I googled around and found another possible Cardamine candidate.

Cardamine hirsuta
http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/thumbn ... ne+hirsuta


And if I don't like it in my tank, I can throw it on a salad!
Doug

[Cavan]

I don't think it's that because the one you linked is a plant of drier places like lawns and so on.

[scientist0724]

It's still very pretty!

Arlene

[DelawareJim]

It looks like C. hirsuta to me. Also know as Hairy Bittercress, it is an invasive annual winter herb from Europe that prefers damp locations and is a common winter weed in lawns and garden centers. It can be eaten.

More than likely though it is either C. pennsylvanica (Pennsylvania Brittercress); found throughout North American in moist to wet areas like stream banks, or C. pratensis (Cuckoo Flower) found in wet areas from Virginia north into arctic Canada.

The three look similar except for their overall size and flower colour.

Cheers.
Jim

[seiji64]

Thanks everyone! I'll be glad if it isn't the non-native hirsuta.

I've got one more collected from NY for ID'ing. I think mosses are more diffcult to ID, but knowing this group, someone will probably know!
This moss is growing steadily in a 10g with Akadama substrate. It picked up its growth a good bit when I finally started dosing the tank. Unfortunately I've got hair / thread algae growing in that tank as well. I picked up some hitch hiking Asellus aquaticus to boot.
Here's a close up shot:

And in the tank. Sorry not the greatest pic:

Its "leaves" longer than most of the typical aquatic mosses (java, taiwan, peacock), sort of like Fontinalis antipyretica, but it doesn't look like the Willow moss I got from Aqua Forest. The leaves hug the stem more. And its stems are relatively stiff and tough to break.
Doug