General:
Perennial, aquatic herb from fine, tufted roots; stems up to 100 cm long, branched at the base.

Leaves:
All submersed, 2-ranked, linear, the sides parallel, stiff, brownish-green, 3-7 cm long, 0.1-0.3 cm wide, usually with 3 veins, gradually tapered into sharp bristled tips, the stipules 1-3 cm long, coarsely fibrous, whitish, the older tending to disintegrate into shreds, the margins fused towards the bases, the glands at the nodes small and inconspicuous.

Flowers:
Inflorescence spikelike, the spikes 0.5-1.5 cm long, with 2 to 5 whorls of flowers, the stalks thin; winter buds cylindrical, the bases hard, strongly ribbed.

Fruits:
Achenes, egg-shaped, 1.8-2.2 mm long, 1.2-1.8 mm wide, widest at the middle, the beaks short, the keels absent.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Potamogeton longiligulatus Fernald
Potamogeton pusillus var. rutiloides (Fernald) B. Boivin
Potamogeton rutilus auct. non Wolfgang
Potamogeton strictifolius var. rutiloides Fernald
Potamogeton strictifolius var. typicus Fernald