Potamogeton cheesemanii
| Potamogeton cheesemanii | |
|---|---|
| |
| Potamogeton cheesemanii in the Manuherikia River | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Potamogetonaceae |
| Genus: | Potamogeton |
| Species: | P. cheesemanii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Potamogeton cheesemanii A.Benn.
| |
Potamogeton cheesemanii or red pondweed (rērēwai or mānihi[2] in Māori)[3] is a species of plant, indigenous to New Zealand and Australia. It is a vascular monocot.
Description
The rhizomes root at nodes, and produce long branches with few leaves. The leaves take two shapes: those underwater are longer and translucent, while the ones that float are oval and opaque. The flowers, a dense spike, float, although they submerge when they begin to fruit. The flowers are cream, red, or pink.[2][4] The species flowers from November to February, and fruits from December to March.[5]
This species can be told from Potamogeton suboblongus by the dimorphic leaves, and from P. ochreatus by its well separated longitudinal nerves.[4]
The biomass of this plant varies seasonally, with less biomass found in the winter months than in the summer and spring.[6] While height-restricted, P. cheesemanii is one of the taller plants in native hydrophyte communities.[7]
Range
This species is found across New Zealand, on all of the major islands including the Chatham Islands, and some of the minor islands such as Great Barrier.[8] It also grows in southern Australia and Tasmania,[2][4][9] although at least one authority considers it endemic to New Zealand.[3]
Macrofossils of P. cheesemanii seeds have been found from the Aranuian era in Canterbury, roughly 14k-10k ybp.[10]
Habitat
P. cheesemanii grows on slow rivers, ponds, lakes, and ditches. It grows from the coast to the montane areas.[4] They can grow in tarns at at least 1000 m in elevation.[11]
Ecology
P. cheesemanii is associated with some macroinvertebrate communities, but not as many as other native hydrophytes according to at least one study.[12] Some attempts at using Grass Carp to eat pond weeds has found that they will eat P. cheesemanii, but generally prefer other plants.[13]
Multiple species of dragonfly lay their eggs on the leaves.[14]
Etymology
Potamogeton means 'river dweller' in Greek. Cheesemanii is named after Thomas Cheeseman,[4] who sent specimens to Arthur Bennett from Lake Waiatarua near Auckland.[15]
Taxonomy
This species was described under three separate names in 1916 by Johan Oscar Hagström: Potamogeton cheesemanii f. tasmanicus, Potamogeton porrigens, and Potamogeton sessilifolius.[16] These are now considered synonyms.[9]
References
- ^ "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Potamogeton cheesemanii A.Benn. - Biota of NZ". Biota of NZ. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ a b "NZTCS". nztcs.org.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Potamogeton cheesemanii". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "Flora of New Zealand | Taxon Profile | Potamogeton cheesemanii". www.nzflora.info. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ Riis, Tenna; Biggs, Barry J. F.; Flanagan, Marty (June 2003). "Seasonal changes in macrophyte biomass in South Island lowland streams, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 37 (2): 381–388. doi:10.1080/00288330.2003.9517174. ISSN 0028-8330.
- ^ Riis, Tenna; Hawes, Ian (1 October 2002). "Relationships between water level fluctuations and vegetation diversity in shallow water of New Zealand lakes". Aquatic Botany. 74 (2): 133–148. doi:10.1016/S0304-3770(02)00074-8. ISSN 0304-3770.
- ^ de Lange, P.J. (1990). "Additions and confirmations to the flora of Great Barrier" (PDF). Auckland Botanical Society Journal. 45: 22–23.
- ^ a b "Potamogeton cheesemanii A.Benn. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ Burrows, C. J. (1 December 1997). "A macrofossil flora from early Aranuian lake-bed deposits, Doubtful River, Waiau-uha catchment, North Canterbury, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 35 (4): 545–553. doi:10.1080/0028825X.1987.10410178. ISSN 0028-825X.
- ^ Flint, E. A.; Williamson, D. B. (January 2005). "Desmids (Chlorophyta), including two new species and three new varieties, in two swamps, a lake, and a tarn in the South Island of New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Botany. 43 (1): 285–300. doi:10.1080/0028825X.2005.9512955. ISSN 0028-825X.
- ^ Biggs, B. J. F.; Malthus, T. J. (1 March 1982). "Macroinvertebrates associated with various aquatic macrophytes in the backwaters and lakes of the upper Clutha Valley, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 16 (1): 81–88. doi:10.1080/00288330.1982.9515948. ISSN 0028-8330.
- ^ Mitchell, C. P. (December 1980). "Control of water weeds by grass carp in two small lakes". New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 14 (4): 381–390. doi:10.1080/00288330.1980.9515880. ISSN 0028-8330.
- ^ Crumpton, Joy (1 April 1979). "Aspects of the biology of Xanthocnemis zealandica and Austrolestes colensonis (Odonata: Zygoptera) at three ponds in the South Island, New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 6 (2): 285–297. doi:10.1080/03014223.1979.10428367. ISSN 0301-4223.
- ^ Trimen, Henry; Trimen, Henry; Britten, James; Ramsbottom, John; Seemann, Berthold; Rendle, A. B. (1883). Journal of botany, British and foreign. Vol. v. 21 1883. London: Robert Hardwicke.
- ^ "Details - Critical researches on the potamogetons - Biodiversity Heritage Library". www.biodiversitylibrary.org. Archived from the original on 24 July 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.