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Key to Elodea

Hydrocharitaceae

Elodea

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1 Flowers pistillate or staminate; staminate flowers usually with 9 stamens.
  2 Well-developed leaves (1-) avg. 2 (-5) mm wide, mostly 2-5× as long as wide; staminate spathe 4-8 (-15) mm long, the flower at anthesis on an elongated, very slender, flexuous stalk; sepals of pistillate flowers 2-4.5 mm long
  2 Well-developed leaves (0.3-) avg. 1.3 (-2) mm wide, mostly 5-10× as long as wide; staminate spathe 2-3 mm long, the flower at anthesis separating from the spathe (and plant) at maturity; sepals of pistillate flowers 1-1.5 mm long