Description
Potentially Misidentified Species- Specimens identified by John Clayton as Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Gronovius 1739) were actually the native Cardamine parviflora (Sand Bittercress) (Natural History Museum (UK) 2001).
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plantae | Magnoliophyta | Magnoliopsida | Capparales | Brassicaceae | Rorippa |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1878 | Established | Stable | Introduced | Boundary Resident | Europe | Eurasia | Agriculture(Agricultural Weed) |
History of Spread
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Watercress) was an introduction to North America from Europe, where it was used and widely planted as a vegetable. Nearly every available source gives it introduced status in North America (Fernald 1950; Cook 1985; Gleason and Cronquist 1991; Stuckey 1993; Les and Mehrhoff 1999). [However, the United States Department of Agriculture 'Plants' database (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2001) calls it native.] Its early history in North America is clouded by confusion with other, native and introduced 'cresses' (Les and Mehrhoff 1999). Specimens collected by John Clayton in VA, and reported as this species (Gronovius 1739; Reveal 1983), were actually the native Cardamine parviflora (Sand Bittercress) (British Natural History Museum 2001). The earliest verified specimens of Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum was collected from Niagara Falls in NY in 1847. By the 1900s, it had became widespread across North America, reaching San Francisco Bay before the 1940s (Cohen and Carlton 1995).
The earliest collection of Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, of which we are aware in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, is from the tidal Potomac at the outlet lock of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown, in 1878 (U.S. National Herbarium collections), This plant is now widespread in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, preferring “brooks, rills and cool water” (Fernald 1950). The only definite tidal records we have found are: (1) the 1878 collection, mentioned above (U.S. National Herbarium collections), and (2) from an early botanical survey of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, 'bank of tidal portion of Muddy Creek at mouth of tributary from springhouse' (Higman 1968). It was also included in MD Department of Natural Resources (2000) online submerged aquatic vegetation key for the Chesapeake Bay, so it may occur elsewhere. Its occurrences in tidal waters are probably limited by high temperature and turbidity.
History References- Biota of North America Program 2000; Cohen and Carlton 1995; Cook 1985; Fernald 1950; Gleason and Cronquist 1991; Gronovius 1739; Higman 1968; Les and Mehrhoff 1999; Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000; Natural Resources Conservation Service 2001; Reveal 1983; Stuckey 1993; ; U.S. National Herbarium collections
Invasion Comments
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | ||||
| Salinity (‰) | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | ||||
| Salinity Range | fresh-oligo |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
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| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
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| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Watercrress) is rare and local in tidal waters of Chesapeake Bay. It is probably gathered and eaten locally in streams and springs in the watershed.
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Watercress) is rare and local in tidal waters. However, it is gathered and eaten locally in streams and springs in the watershed, and occasionally cultivated throughout its native and introduced range. This plant only rarely becomes invasive, but has been known to block the flow of streams, causing flooding in MA (Les and Mehrhoff 1999) and to interfere with navigation in New Zealand (Howard-Williams 1987).
References- Howard-Williams 1987; Les and Mehrhoff 1999
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Watercress) is rare and local in tidal waters of Chesapeake Bay. Impacts on native biota have not been reported from Chesapeake Bay proper, or from the watershed.
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Watercress) is rare and local in tidal waters of Chesapeake Bay. Impacts on exotic biota have not been reported from Chesapeake Bay proper, or from the watershed
References
2001 Invasive Species database search. http://invasivespecies.org/BONAP/namesearch.cfmBrown, Melvin L.; Brown, Russell G. (1984) Herbaceous Plants of Maryland, , College Park. Pp.
Cohen, Andrew N.; Carlton, James T. (1995) Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta, , Washington DC, Silver Spring MD.. Pp.
Cook, Christopher D. K. (1985) Range extensions of aquatic vascular plant species, Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 23: 1-6
Fernald, Merritt L. (1950) Gray's Manual of Botany, In: (Eds.) . , New York. Pp.
Gleason, Henry A.; Cronquist, Arthur (1991) Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, In: (Eds.) . , Bronx, New York. Pp.
Gronovius, Johannes Fredericius (1739) Flora Virginica exhibens plantas quas V. C. Johannes Clayton in Virginia observavit atque collegit., , London. Pp.
Harvill, A. M.; Bradley, Ted R.; Stevens, Charles E.; Wieboldt, Thomas F.; Ware, Donna M. E.; Ogle, Douglas W.; Ramsey, Gwynn W.; Fleming, Gary P. (1992) Atlas of the Virginia Flora, , Burkeville, VA. Pp.
Higman, Daniel (1968) An ecologically annotated checklst of the vascular flora at the Chesapeake Bay Center for Field Biology., In: (Eds.) . , Washington, D.C.. Pp.
Howard-Williams, Clive (1993) Processes of aquatic weed invasions: the New Zealand example, Journal of Aquatic Plant Management 31: 17-23
Les, Donald H.; Mehrhoff, Leslie J. (1999) Introduction of nonindigenous aquatic vascular plants in southern New England: a historical perspective., Biological Invasions 1: 281-300
1998 Bay Grass Identification Key. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/baysav/key/index.html
Mills, Edward L.; Leach, Joseph H.; Carlton, James T.; Secor, Carol L. (1993) Exotic species in the Great Lakes: a history of biotic crises and anthropogenic introductions., Journal of Great Lakes Research 19: 1-54
Mills, Edward L.; Scheuerell, Mark D.; Carlton, James T.; Strayer, David (1997) Biological invasions in the Hudson River: an inventory and historical analysis., New York State Museum Circular 57: 1-51
2000 The John Clayton Herbarum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/botany/clayton
1997-2024 USDA PLANTS Database.. Onine databse
Reveal, James L. (1983) Significance of pre-1753 botanical explorations in temperate North America on Linnaeus' first edition of Species Plantarum, Phytologia 53: 1-96
Stuckey, Ronald L. (1993) Phytogeographical outline of aquatic and wetland angiosperms in continental eastern North America, Aquatic Botany 44: 259-301