Water Primrose Is Ludwigia Peploides Glabrescens

Spaniard Creek on the Arkansas River

During a see to Spaniard Creek Park  yesterday nosotros saw an aquatic establish that was attracting hundreds of autumn pollinators including bees, wasps, butterflies, as well as skippers. The patches of flowers were covered as well as abuzz to the hollo for that nosotros all squatted downwards to watch.
It turns out that this source of insect pollen is none other than Creeping Water Primrose. The South American diverseness is Ludwigia hexapelata and the US native diverseness is Lusdwigia peploides glabrescens.

South American Water Primrose is as well as thence invasive inward fact that inward many states in that place are programs to eradicate it to preclude its clogging irrigation channels, rivers as well as lakes. In add-on it is good known every bit musquito breeding heaven. The native variety, L peploides is called aggressive rather than invasive.

Ludwigia peploides glabrescens

 Illinois Wildflowers says "This perennial establish is ¾–2½' long. It either floats on H2O or sprawls across the ground. The stems are low-cal greenish to cerise (often the latter), glabrous to sparsely pubescent, as well as terete. Alternate leaves along these stems are 1¼–3" long as well as ½–1" across; they are elliptic, oblong-elliptic, oblanceolate, or oblong-oblanceolate inward shape as well as shine along their margins. The leaves are normally glossy greenish inward appearance, although sometimes they railroad train patches of cerise or yellow. ... The blooming menstruum occurs from piece of cake jump to early on fall, lasting several months. The flowers are diurnal.
"The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily past times bees, including honeybees, digger bees (Eucerine), as well as Halictid bees. Other visitors, such every bit flies as well as skippers, are less effective at cross-pollination. These insects obtain nectar and/or pollen from the flowers. Some insects feed destructively on Creeping Water Primrose. This includes the flea beetles, Altica litigata as well as Lysathia ludoviciana, as well as a leafhopper, Draeculacephala inscripta. The Mallard as well as mayhap other ducks feed on the seed capsules. Because of the large dense colonies that this establish frequently forms, it provides expert embrace along shorelines for diverse insects, frogs, as well as other wetland wildlife."

We saw several box as well as snap turtles inward as well as amid the Water Primrose at Spaniard Creek Park.

If you lot haven't visited Spaniard Creek Park, this is a gorgeous fourth dimension of twelvemonth to walk along the water's border every bit the trees operate inward their autumn phase as well as driblet acorns. There are rattling few campers straight off as well as thence walkers bring enough of room to roam as well as appreciate the beauty of Oklahoma fall.

Share this post