Botanical Illustrator

Aquatic Plants:

Hydrilla stem with whorls of pointed green leaves and two slender flower stalks, in watercolor pencil and watercolor.

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), watercolor pencil & watercolor
Commissioned by: FLW Outdoors Magazine

About Hydrilla:
Hydrilla is not native to the United States. It was introduced in the 1960's in Florida due to being "released" from aquariums (see Wikipedia: Hydrilla). It is an aquatic plant. It is also referred to as esthwaite waterweed (water weed) and water thyme (waterthyme).

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
Class: Liliopsida (monocotyledons or monocots, having one cotyledon, or embryonic leaf, in the seed)
Order: Alismatales
Family: Hydrocharitaceae
Genus: Hydrilla
Species: Hydrilla verticillata

More information about Hydrilla:
Harmful Aquatic Hitchhikers: Hydrilla
USDA Plants Database: Hydrilla verticillata, waterthyme (includes distribution map)

Photos of hydrilla: