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=﻿Elodea canadensis =
 * ===Description:===
 * The Elodea canadensis is also commonly known as the American Waterweed or the Canadian Pondweed. These plants have roots that dig into the mud at the bottom of a water source. The stem that grows from these roots can grow up to about 3 meters long. Surrounding this stem are bright, transluscent green leaves that average to be about 6-17mm long and 1-4mm wide. The Elodea lives completely underwater, except when it has either white or purple petaled flowers. These flowers can float to the top of the water's surface, and they are attached to the plant by delicate stalks. It flowers from May to October. The most favorable condition for the Elodea's growth is water temperature of about 10-25 degrees Celsius and in moderate to bright lighting.
 * The Elodea canadensis is also commonly known as the American Waterweed or the Canadian Pondweed. These plants have roots that dig into the mud at the bottom of a water source. The stem that grows from these roots can grow up to about 3 meters long. Surrounding this stem are bright, transluscent green leaves that average to be about 6-17mm long and 1-4mm wide. The Elodea lives completely underwater, except when it has either white or purple petaled flowers. These flowers can float to the top of the water's surface, and they are attached to the plant by delicate stalks. It flowers from May to October. The most favorable condition for the Elodea's growth is water temperature of about 10-25 degrees Celsius and in moderate to bright lighting.

Classification:
Domain- Eukaryota Kingdom- Plantae Phylum- Magnoliophyta Class- Liliopsida Order- Alismatales Family- Hydrocharitaceae Genus- Elodea Species- Canadensis

Cell Type:
The Elodea canadensis is a eukaryote, meaning that it is made up of eukaryotic cells. It belongs to the domain Eukaryota because of this.

Reproduction:
The Elodea most commonly reproduces asexually. Some of the ways that it can reproduce asexually are by stem branching, growth buds of stem fragments, and by spring development of over-wintering structures laterally. The Elodea may also reproduce sexually, however, this is rare. The flowers that may bloom from the waterweed are either male or female, and the female population is more abundant than the male population, making the sexual process more difficult. If the Elodea is to reproduce sexually though, the plant will produce cylindrical fruit capsules.

Predators:
The waterweed is preyed upon by frshwater organisms, fish, and birds.

Relationships:
The Elodea canadensis has a parasitic relationship with its enviornment. It will grow in any aquatic enviornment that has its suitable conditions, and then it will grow and over populate so much that it will "choke" the water source in which it's living.

Habitat:
The Elodea canadensis lives in many different water sources all around the world such as lakes, ponds, ditches, and rivers.It can survive in a wide range of aquatic conditions. For example, it can either grow in shallow to deep water or in slightly mineralized to acidic water. It can also grow under the cover of ice, but it will grow pretty slowly. To the left is a map of places in the United States where the Elodea is commonly found. Although the Elodea is native to the US, it was introduced to European nations in the 19th century and has then been spread to other areas such as South America, Central America, Asia, Australia, and Africa

Unique Features:
The uniquest feature about this plant is that some have flowers and others don't. These flowers can be either purple or whiteepending on whether it is male or female. Also, I dont believe that most plants can have a gender, and this one can.

Interesting Facts:

 * 1) 1- The Elodea canadensis is commonly used in fish tanks as an aquatic companion for household fish.
 * 2) 2- It was first recorded in the the British Isles in 1836.
 * 3) 3- It was also introduced to County Down, Ireland, in 1836.

Works Cited:
These cites were helpful in my quest for information on this aquatic plant. They may be able to help you too!

"Catalogue of Life - 2011 Annual Checklist :: Species Details." //Catalogue of Life - 2011 Annual Checklist :: Search All Names//. Web. 07 June 2011. .

"Elodea Canadensis." //Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia//. Web. 08 June 2011. .

"PLANTS Profile Elodea Canadensis Michx. Canadian Waterweed." //USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service//. Web. 8 June 2011. .

"Native Freshwater Plants - American Waterweed - Elodea." //Washington State Department of Ecology | Home Page | ECY WA DOE//. Web. 08 June 2011. .

"Issg Database: Ecology of Elodea Canadensis." //IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG)//. Web. 08 June 2011. .

"Bay Grass Identification Key Common Waterweed." //Maryland Department of Natural Resources//. Web. 09 June 2011. .

"Elodea Canadensis." //DAISIE//. Web. 9 June 2011. .