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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #1368
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>From: Aquatic-Plants-Owner at actwin_com (Aquatic Plants Digest)
>To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
>Subject: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #1368
>Date: Wed, Nov 3, 1999, 12:48 PM
>
>
>I have to wonder why some aquatic plants are red. UV protection would be
>less important to a submersed plant than an emersed, or terrestrial plant,
>and I doubt that it has an "attractor" function. Perhaps the red color is
>simply a "leftover" from its terrestrial origins?
>
>Regards,
In a forest in the tropics and elsewhere there's a competition for light. A
plant moving into the openess of the water( no trees or any thing to block
the light except the water itself) can add an enormous increase of light
compared to the well covered forest floor. There's plenty of nutrients and
water too. Red foxtail is one of the most prolific species in the county in
CA where I live. The terrestrial form is green. It's not good at competing
with fast growing grasses/weeds that grow by the pond's shore, but can grow
underwater were the grasses cannot. In more shaded areas,
Pennywart(H.verticillata) takes the place of this plant. Perhaps it's just
found that niche and the red color is not a leftover but a developed trait
that helps the plant with the extra light?
FWIW,
Tom Barr