1. Brazilian Elodea
Egeria densa
Darren R. Thornhill
Fisheries Management Biologist
MO Dept. of Conservation
3500 S Baltimore St.
Kirksville, MO 63501
2. What does it look like?
• Submerged, perennial plant
• Stems (up to 2 m) branch at water level
• Whorls of 4-8 spear-shaped leaves (1.2-3.8
cm)
• Three white flowers (18-25 mm) at or just
above water surface
3.
4.
5. Ecology
• All known plants in the US are male
– Spreads through fragmentation
• Found in still and moving water
• Found in depths ranging up to 7 meters
– Also found in free-floating mats
• Develops dense, monotypic stands
6. How did it get here?
• Native of Brazil and coastal Argentina and
Uruguay
• First collected in Long Island, NY in 1893
– First sold in US in 1915 as good “oxegenator”
• Commonly cultivated and sold for the
aquarium trade
– Anacharis
7. How do we get rid of it?
• Prevention is paramount!
• Biological control with grass carp
• Mechanical control is not recommended
• Chemical control is effective
– Complexed copper and diquat (effective)
– Complezed copper and Endothall (marginally
effective)
– Fluridone (effective)
