Howellia aquatilis

Taxobox
name = "Howellia aquatilis"


status =
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Campanulaceae
genus = "Howellia"
species = "H. aquatilis"
binomial = "Howellia aquatilis"
binomial_authority = Gray
synonyms =

"Howellia aquatilis" (water howellia) is a small plant in the family Campanulaceae and is considered to a threatened species since 1994.

History

Galen Thomas and Joseph Howell first discovered this species in the late 1890’s. Roots of this plant are attracted to clay or organic sediments that occur in wetlands. The plant grows in shallow waters that are from three feet to six feet deep. It is an aquatic herb that has fragile floating stems. The stems usually only reach about one hundred centimeters. The stem is considered to be simple, alternate, and narrowly linear. The leaves pattern can be opposite or whorled and are numerous on the plant. The plant only reaches about four to twenty-four inches in height. It produces two types of flowers, which one is beneath the surface and the other is above the surface. Flowers above the surface are called chasmogamous and the ones below are cleistogamous. The flowers above the surface are small, irregular, white, and bloom in a narrow leafy-bracted inflorescence. Along with the flowers the plant is also know to produce fruit below the petals.

Location and Plants Nearby

The Water Howellia is found in large area of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The states that it is found in are California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington (Lesica 1992). The Water Howellia likes to grow in freshwater wetlands, glacial pothole ponds, and former river oxbows. Water Howellia grows in these areas because of the snow that runs into the water in the spring. It usually is surrounded by broadleaf deciduous trees and can grow in elevations between three and 1350 meters. The species grows in different type of water according to the state and it’s environment.

Plant Life

The plant flowers usually self-pollinate but have been known to cross pollinate. The submerged flowers usually appear in early May. Then the flowers start to bloom when the stems reach the surface around late June. The seed dispersal from the underwater fruit begins in June and majority of seeds. The seeds however, need high level of oxygen to germinate. Germination occurs in the fall. The seeds from the submergent flowers usually sink to the bottom and the emergent float a short distance. The flowers and the fruit usually continue to grow and pollinate through the spring and summer until the dry season begins. When the wetlands or ponds start to lose water or dry up the flowers and fruit stop growing and start to disappear. So the spreading of seeds from the fruit depends on the season and how long it last.

Threatened Species

There are many reasons this plant is considered to be threatened. One of the main reasons is the development of urban areas. The states where Water Howellia plants live are being developed, and houses and roads are taking up the habitat of the flower. Which means the wetlands and ponds are starting to disappear or humans interfere with the plant. Another reason The flower is endangered is the cattle and other animals are trampling through the water. The animals disturb the bottom of the water and this causes problems for germination. Some other reasons are the change in climate, logging of trees, and competition of other plants.

References

* [http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/environment/biology/usfw-list/Howellia.htm]
* [http://ecos.fws.gov/species_profile/SpeciesProfile?spcode=Q2RM]
* [http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_profile.cgi&symbol=HOAQ]