Photo 2096

At Campus ‘Lake’

"Lake" is in quotes because Campus Lake is being drained. For some time now, there has been a toxic algae that has prohibited swimming and boating in the lake. So it's being drained to purge the harmful stuff. This is a flowering plant that's obviously an "aquatic" plant. I'm hopeful to get an ID.
» http://dailyegyptian.com/58188/news/university-begins-draining-campus-lake-to-combat-toxic-algae/

ID'ed to “Pontederia cordata.” From Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a428 » “Pickerel weed is a vigorous, deciduous, emergent marginal aquatic perennial that typically grows 2-4' tall. It is native to quiet waters at stream and pond margins from Nova Scotia south to Florida and Texas. … In the wild, it is frequently seen growing in dense colonies. … Tiny, tubular soft blue flowers are densely packed into erect, 3-6" long spikes atop flower stalks typically rising 1-2' above the water surface. Plants flower freely from June to October. Flowers give way to starchy seeds with distinctive toothed ridges. Flower spikes droop after bloom, releasing the distinctive seeds into the water. Seeds are edible off the plant or can be dried and added to granola cereals. Very young leaves can be used as salad greens. Dragonflies and damselflies commonly lay their eggs on plant stems near the water surface. Fish (albeit more than just pickerel) may seek shelter in clumps of these plants, hence the common name of pickerel weed.”

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Pontederia_cordata&rank=binomial

A year ago I was “Finally back on the water” … even as I'm off the water right now. Natural lake levels are high now, so I would have to stand in water to launch and recover a rowing shell. Well, a couple weeks ago I was bare-foot in the garage and stepped on a crib bracket. Foot wound and lake water — not a good combination. New rule: Footwear in the garage…

1 year ago (“Finally back on the water”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2015-09-21
2 years ago (“Pearl Crescent”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-09-21
3 years ago (“Photo 1,000”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-09-21
4 years ago (“I wonder what our kids will look like…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-09-21
5 years ago (“Beneath the ‘webs’ we weave…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-09-21

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21st September 2016 21st Sep 16