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Glite Dictionary
Myriophyllum

Myriophyllum

9.9
A water plant with many thin leaves that grows in lakes and ponds
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪrɪˈɒfɪləm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Myriophyllum
  • As an important part of freshwater ecosystems, Myriophyllum helps improve water quality by providing oxygen.
  • Myriophyllum aquaticum

Examples

  • In shallow ponds, Myriophyllum provides habitat and shelter for various aquatic species.

  • The leaves of Myriophyllum grow in whorls, creating a beautiful, feathery appearance in the water.

  • Swollen upper stems of some Myriophyllum species provide a similar function (Crow and Hellquist 1983).

    Academic text (1996)

  • For example, once introduced into a lake, the long stems of plants like Elodea (Hydrocharitaceae) and Myriophyllum easily become entangled on boat motors and trailers and are eventually transported to different sites.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

milfoil
vsMyriophyllum
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A plant with fine feathery leaves that often grows in meadows or water

is the narrower aquatic genus rather than the general leaf type term
water milfoil
vsMyriophyllum
  • Specialized
8.0

An underwater plant with feathery leaves and small hidden flowers that grows in lakes

is the scientific genus name for this group of freshwater plants

Surface Forms

Myriophyllum singular
Myriophyllums plural

Etymology

Myriophyllum comes from Greek parts myrio- 'many' and phyllum 'leaf'. So it literally means 'many leaves' and describes these water plants with many thin, feathery leaves, often called milfoils.