First report of Egeria densa in the Guadalquivir watershed (ES)
Egeria densa (Hydrocharitaceae, EPPO List of IAP) originates from South America and has previously been recorded in the following EPPO countries where it is considered invasive: Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
In Spain, the species has been present since 1912 in the Parque del Retiro in Madrid where it was initially mistaken to be Elodea canadensis. It is also present in Andalucía (recorded in Sevilla in 2004), Comunidad Valenciana (recorded in Valencia), Galicia, and País Vasco.
In 2008, E. densa was found in the province of Sevilla (municipality of El Castillo de las Guardas), covering almost the entire surface of a reservoir belonging to the watershed of the Guadalquivir river, and occupying a surface of 14 ha. The plants were observed in flower, and all the observed flowers were male.
Sources
Gros V, Casero-Montes Z, Pérez-Santigosa N, Plazuelo Á (2009) Primera cita de Egeria densa Planchon (Hydrocharitaceae) en la cuenca hidrográfica del Guadalquivir. Acta Botanica Malacitana 34, 273-275.