Fern pondweed is usually dark-green with flat leaves pointing away from the stem on two sides, thereby giving it the appearance of a fern.   Leaf bases form a sheath around the stems (Figure 4b) and may have stipules present on new leaves located near the ends of the stems.  Fern pondweed is known to provide habitat for small aquatic animals used as food by predator fishes, especially northern pike.