In this class we will look at aquatic plants, aquatic macrophytes, and wetland plants. Aquatic plants are broadly defined as plants that normally grow in water, in soil covered with water, or soil normally saturated with water. An EPA definition of a wetland is an ecosystem that needs constant or recurrent shallow saturation of substrate.
Diagnostic features are hydrophytic plants and hydric soils.
The EPA has put out a Hydrophyte List, which currently lists 6,728 species found only in the United States. This includes 18 regional lists. Reed's List is classified by three growth factors. These plants require saturated soils. In Northern AZ Typha latifolia.