Aquarius grandiflorus

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Echinodorus grandiflorus
• Echinodorus argentinensis
• Echinodorus pellucidus
• Echinodorus grandiflorus var. bracteatus
• Alisma grandiflorum
• Echinodorus grandiflorus var. ovatus
• Echinodorus floridanus

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it falls under the order Alismatales and the family Alismataceae. Finally, it is categorized under the genus Aquarius, specifically as the species Aquarius grandiflorus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning multiple regions across the Americas. In the Southeastern United States, its presence is specifically noted in Florida. Its range extends deep into the southern hemisphere, covering Venezuela in Northern South America and Bolivia in the west. Within Brazil, the species is found throughout the southern portion of the country. Finally, the distribution reaches the northeastern parts of Argentina in Southern South America.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Aquarius grandiflorus is characterized by its preference for highly specific hydrological conditions, primarily thriving in swamps and within pastures situated on saturated soil. This plant occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, distributed from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2000 m AMSL. Its ability to persist in waterlogged environments suggests an adaptation to anaerobic soil conditions common in wetland ecosystems and seasonally flooded grasslands.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

In swamps, pastures on saturated soil

Life history

The life history of Aquarius grandiflorus is characterized by its classification as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle within a single year. Structurally and ecologically, the plant functions as a helophyte, meaning it maintains a significant portion of its biomass submerged in aquatic environments while producing emergent structures that rise above the water surface. Furthermore, its survival strategy is categorized under the cryptophyte life form, indicating that its essential regenerative organs are protected underground or beneath the substrate, ensuring its continuity and ability to recover from seasonal environmental shifts.

Life form :

helophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Aquarius grandiflorus is characterized by its distinct aquatic lifestyle, existing as a true aquatic organism rather than a terrestrial or semiaquatic species. As a non-woody herb, the plant exhibits a soft, succulent structure that lacks lignified tissue, classifying its growth form specifically as a forb. It functions as an independent organism, showing no parasitic tendencies toward other flora. In terms of its physical habit, the plant is entirely self-supporting, lacking the climbing mechanisms of a liana or vine, and it maintains a strictly terrestrial-based ecological niche in terms of its evolutionary lineage, though its primary habitat is submerged or floating in water.

Aquatic :

aquatic

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Aquarius grandiflorus has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
2. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
3. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences

Chemicals

Aquarius grandiflorus has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include trans-Aconitic acid, Lipase.

trans-Aconitic acid

1. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie
2. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences

Lipase

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Aquarius grandiflorus has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Cardioprotective, Diuretic.

Antioxidant

1. Journal of medicinal food

Cardioprotective

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Diuretic

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Preparations