Aquatic Plants
苦草
Eel Grass
Vallisneria natans
Eel Grass is a native submerged plant. It has long, soft leaves like ribbons waving underwater. Its way of reproduction is peculiar: when the submerged male flowers mature, they detach from the plant and stay afloat with current. The female flowers are floating at the water surface with a long curly stalk attached to the plant. After fertilization, the female flowers are pulled back to the plant and fruits develop underwater. Eel Grass can reproduce by underground rhizomes.