waterlettuce |
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| Arales > Araceae > Pistia stratiotes L.
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| Synonym(s): tropical duckweed |
Water lettuce is a free floating herbaceous plant that invades aquatic environments in the warmer regions of the United States. The leaves occur in a rosette and are gray-green, spongy, 0.8-6 in. (2-15 cm) long with deep, parallel veins. Flowering occurs in late summer to early winter, but plants have been observed flowering nearly all year. The inconspicuous flowers are clustered near the stalk. The fruit is a many-seeded, green berry. Water lettuce invades lakes, ponds and slow moving streams in tropical, subtropical and warmer temperate regions. High vegetative reproduction allows water lettuce to form dense floating mats of vegetation. Severe infestations block light to the water ecosystem, reduce oxygen levels, increase siltation, reduce suitable fish spawning habitat and restrict water flow and boating traffic. Water lettuce is believed to be native to Africa or South America, but it is widely distributed throughout the world's tropical areas. The plant was identified in North America as early as the late 1700s. |
Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
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Selected Images from Invasive.org
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Plant(s);
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s); exotic invasive
Troy Evans, , Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s); in water garden
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Foliage; in water garden
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Foliage; leaf
Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org
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Flower(s);
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
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Plant(s);
USDA ARS Archive, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
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Infestation; Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Columbia/Suwannee counties, Florida, U.S.A.
Richard Carter, Valdosta State University, Bugwood.org
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Infestation;
Karen Brown, University of Florida, Bugwood.org
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Infestation;
Karen Brown, University of Florida, Bugwood.org
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Infestation;
USDA APHIS PPQ Archive, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
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Invasive Reference(s):
Check Invasive.org for most current lists.
- Alabama - Noxious Weed Law
- Alabama - IPC List
- California - Noxious Weed Law
- Connecticut - Noxious Weed Law
- Florida - EPPC list
- Rhode Island - Noxious Weed Law
- South Carolina - Noxious Weed Law
- Texas - Noxious Weed Law
- Texas - Invasive Plant List
- Mid-Atlantic - EPPC List
- Invasive Plants: Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common North American Species
- Invasive Plants of the Upper Midwest
- Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
External Links
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