Vallisneria spiralis
ζVallisneria spiralis L. ζ, eel grass, was recorded by Cheeseman (T.N.Z.I. 29, 1897, 386) from Lake Takapuna [Lake Pupuke], Auckland, and later (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 1055) for the Avon River, Christchurch. Two Auckland specimens have been collected - "Lake Takapuna", Commander Phipps, 6.2.1946 (AK 140612) and "Farm pond, South Head, Kaipara" S. Reed, 22.4.1972 (AK 129801) - but no S. Id specimen has been seen. The Lake Takapuna specimen is large with leaves 5-nerved and 1 cm wide. On vegetative characters it could be referred to either V. spiralis or V. gigantea Graebner, but female flowers are also diagnostic (den Hartog Fl. Males. ser. 1, 5, 1957, 389) and these have not been seen. However, Aston (Aquatic Plants of Australia 1973, 240) considers there is need for a wider and more detailed study of the genus and that "it seems wisest at present to retain here the older name of V. spiralis." (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia)
