Algae and Plants
53
Ceratophyllum demersum (Linnaeus)
Order: Ceratophyllales
Family: Ceratophyllaceae
Common name: Coontail.
Distribution: North America  (United
States and Canada except Newfoundland); Europe (Norway); China, Siberia,
Burkina Faso (Africa), Vietnam, and
New Zealand.
Habitat: Stagnant and slow-moving
water; ponds, lakes, streams.
Description: It is a true rootless aquatic
that floats just under the surface of the
water. It develops rhizoids if anchored
in the substrate. Stems reach lengths of
1–3 m, with numerous side shoots making a single specimen appear as a large,
bushy mass. Leaves that are fan shaped
and feathery are produced in whorls of
6–12, each leaf 8–40 mm long, simple, or
forked into two to eight thread-like segments edged with spiny teeth; they are
stiff and brittle. It is monoecious, with
separate male and female flowers produced on the same plant. Flowers are
small, 2  mm long, with eight or more
greenish brown petals; they are produced in the leaf axils. Leaves of this
species are edible.
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% DM)
Protein
Ash
Fiber
17.00
2.18
15.20
Minerals (% DM)
Ca
P
K
Na
Mg
2.46
0.22 1.29 0.336 0.686
Minerals (mg/100 g)
Fe
Mn
Mo
546
281
18.9
Source: Data from Little (1979).