GREATER DUCKWEED

GREATER DUCKWEED

Spirodela polyrrhiza
DUCKWEED FAMILY (Lemnaceae)

Click on each photo thumbnail to enlarge.

These flat, nearly round plants float on water, usually in small groups of 2-5. Up to about 1/2 inch across, they are green above and purple underneath (A,B), with 2 or more long, trailing roots. They reproduce via miniscule flowers and seeds. Easy to identify when Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) is also present, as about twice as large as Lesser Duckweed, and purple underneath. Both images also show the much smaller Watermeal (Wolffia sp.)

Found in stagnant water. In Fontenelle Forest, uncommon among the more abundant Lesser Duckweed (Lemna minor) in water along Stream Trail.

 

The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Roland Barth.