When you take a walk you probably recognize common plants and flowers—dandelion! rose! daylily!—but when you swim or kayak, do you know the names of the plants who live in the water you are enjoying?
On Monday, August 21, at 7PM, Chocorua Lake Conservancy and Cook Memorial Library are honored to host Dr. C. Barre Hellquist, professor emeritus of biology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, renowned educator, author, aquatic conservationist, and a specialist in aquatic plants of New England, invasive aquatic plants, and much more, in person at Cook Library in Tamworth Village. Dr. Hellquist will share with the community a presentation on “Aquatic Plants of Chocorua Lake and the Greater Ossipee River Drainage.” Chocorua Lake and the neighboring lakes, ponds and rivers are characterized by aquatic plants that grow in predominantly acid waters of low pH, with total alkalinities of 10 and below. This major habitat is common in the coastal plain and higher elevations of northern New England. Numerous pondweeds (Potamogeton), Bur-reeds (Sparganium), and bladderworts (Utricularia) are the more common genera. Invasive and introduced species are uncommon, but must be monitored if found. The talk will show the various submersed and floating-leaved plants common in the lakes of the area plus a few invasives to be on the lookout for.
Please register in advance below. Cook Library is wheelchair accessible.
Dr. C. Barre Hellquist is professor emeritus of biology at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and is co-author of the “Aquatic Plants of New England” series and the two-volume book, “Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Northeastern North America,” considered the definitive work on the subject. He is also co-author of portions of the “Flora of North America” (Nuphar and Alismatidae). Currently work is on the systematics of Nymphaea (especially those of Australia), the aquatic flora of New Mexico, and the aquatic flora of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The latter is with his son, Eric. He co-authored the Alismatidae for the Flora of China and the Jepson Manual of California. He has taught courses on aquatic plants at the University of Michigan and University of Oklahoma Biological Stations and lectures on the rare aquatic plants and invasive aquatics of the northeast. Locally he is a board member of the Ossipee Lake Alliance and has been a summer resident of Ossipee Lake for over 70 years.
Banner image: White water-lily (Nymphaea odorata). Photo: Dr. C. Barre Hellquist