Water Lettuce

Description:

Pistia stratiotes, water lettuce. This unusual aquatic member of the family floats on the surface of ponds or streams and may have given rise to the minute aquatic species below. The swollen leaf bases have airy tissue and act as buoys to keep the plants afloat. Though tiny, especially compared to Amorphophallus titanum, the spathe and spadix nature of the inflorescence in this species is still rather typical. The upper part of the spadix has 2-8 staminate flowers and the lower part bears a single pistillate flower. A portion of a sectioned leaf with its buoyant tissue can be seen in the center photo.

Habitat:

A floating Aquatic plant that dominated the floating vegetation islands of the Pacaya Samiria Nature reserve water ways along with water hyacinth.

Notes:

FAMILY ARACEAE