Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest: A Photographic Guide to our Underwater Forests, 2nd Edition

Aquatic Plants of the Upper Midwest is a full-color, photographic field guide to the aquatic plants of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This long-awaited second edition easily and effectively teaches readers how to identify 152 species of submersed and floating-leaved aquatic plants of the region, with over 500 color photographs and easy-to-understand descriptions. This guide is designed to be comprehensive and user-friendly for professionals and casual users alike. Magnified inset photos and detailed descriptions make identification as easy and enjoyable as a day on the water. Handy appendices include botanical keys and much more. Printed on sturdy, glossy paper, this spiral-bound field guide is designed to be a durable companion for naturalists, teachers, researchers, and outdoor enthusiasts. Some of the major updates to the second edition include a much-expanded appendix on potential future aquatic invasive plants, a special paper coating to prevent water damage or UV damage, about 30 additional species, and the coverage of all five genera of the Characeae family of macro-algae that occur in the Midwestern United States, (Chara, Nitella, Tolypella, Lychnothamnus, and Nitellopsis), with each genus separated into its common species. Large, 1/2-page color photos show each plant as a whole, often in its natural habitat, while smaller inset photographs showcase important features such as flowers, fruits, glands, leaf veins, or stipules. Although designed to cover all of the aquatic plants of the Upper Midwest region, this guide can be used to identify a large majority of the aquatic plants anywhere in the United States. Less common groups such as water ferns (Azolla), quillworts (Isoetes), macro-algae (Chara, Nitella, Nitellopsis, Lychnothamnus, Tolypella), mosses (Drepanocladus, Fontinalis), and liverworts (Riccia, Ricciocarpos) are also covered. Appendices include tables of Coefficient of Conservatism Values for each state, which indicate the quality of habitat that a species tends to be found in. Botanical keys are also included for the watermilfoils (Myriophyllum), bladderworts (Utricularia), bur-reeds (Sparganium), pondweeds and look-alikes (Potamogeton, Zannichellia, and Heteranthera), macro-algae (Chara, Nitella, Tolypella, Lychnothamnus, Nitellopsis), naiads (Najas), and pond lilies (Nuphar). Although these species are covered in the main sections of the book as well, traditional dichotomous keys are included for those who prefer working through keys for difficult plant groups.