(Stuckenia pectinata) is a perennial herb that emerges from a slender rhizome that contains many starchy tubers. Leaves are sharp, thin, and resemble a pine needle. Reddish nutlets (seeds) that resemble beads on a string rise to the water surface in mid-summer. Sago pondweed produces a large crop of seeds and tubers that are valued by waterfowl. Juvenile fish and invertebrates utilize sago pondweed for cover.