Myriophyllum verticillatum
 
Bracted Water-Milfoil

Whorl of Female and Male Flowers, Bottom

Ruby Lake, Near Hudson Bay
18-July-2019

The flowers are in axils of whorled bracts.  The bracts are deeply pectinate and longer than the flowers.  This whorl contains two male flowers (still in bud) and two female flowers.  It is situated between the more proximal all female flower whorls and the more distal all male flower whorls.

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Verticillatum: This species can be distinguished from other Saskatchewan Myriophyllum species as follows:
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leaves mostly 8-45 mm long;  NOT [leaves 3-12 (22) mm long]

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flowers in an emersed terminal spike; NOT [flowers in axils of submersed or emersed leaves]

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distal-most flowers in axils of whorled bracts; NOT [distal-most flowers in axils of alternate bracts]

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flower bracts usually more than twice as long as pistillate flowers; NOT [flower bracts usually less than twice as long as pistillate flowers]

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stamens 8; NOT [stamens 4]

 

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Myriophyllum: This family can be distinguished from other Dicotyledoneae aquatic plants as follows: 
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plants growing as long strands; NOT [small tufted plants]

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leaves whorled; NOT [leaves opposite]

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leaves finely dissected; NOT [leaves entire]

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leaves pinnately branched; NOT [leaves dichotomously branched]

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flowers on spikes (except for Myriophyllum pinnatum); NOT [flowers in leaf axils]

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stamens 4 or 8; NOT [stamens 12-16]