Chinese water-chestnut

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese water-chestnut
• ground-chestnut
• waternut
• Chinese Water Chestnut
• Water Chestnut

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Eleocharis plantaginea var. tuberosa
• Eleocharis plantaginoides
• Scirpus dubius
• Scirpus plantagineus
• Scirpus tumidus
• Eleocharis plantaginea var. stolonifera
• Limnochloa tumida
• Limnochloa plantaginea
• Eleocharis dulcis var. tuberosa
• Andropogon dulcis
• Eleocharis equisetina
• Eleocharis esculenta
• Hippuris indica
• Eleocharis austrocaledonica
• Eleocharis tuberosa
• Eleocharis tumida
• Scirpus plantaginoides
• Eleocharis indica
• Eleocharis plantagineiformis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Poales, and the family Cyperaceae. Finally, it is identified by its genus, Eleocharis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Eleocharis dulcis, is distributed across specific regions within West Tropical Africa. Its presence is documented in the country of Burkina. Additionally, it can be found in the coastal and inland areas of Gambia. The species also inhabits the territories of Ghana and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its geographical range extends into the nation of Guinea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Eleocharis dulcis is characterized by its specialized niche within wetland vegetation, where it thrives as a submerged or emergent aquatic plant. It occupies a broad altitudinal gradient, distributed across diverse topographical landscapes ranging from low-lying areas at an elevation of 3 m AMSL to higher reaches up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. By inhabiting these saturated environments, the species plays a functional role in wetland ecosystems, contributing to the stabilization of aquatic substrates and providing structural complexity within its hydric habitat.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

3 m AMSL

Habitat :

wetland vegetation

Life history

The life history of Eleocharis dulcis is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist across multiple growing seasons through stable underground structures. It functions biologically as a hydrophyte, specifically adapted to living in aquatic environments where it thrives in submerged or semi-aquatic conditions. Furthermore, its growth habit is classified as a cryptophyte, indicating that its essential regenerative organs are protected below the surface or within the substrate, ensuring survival during unfavorable environmental shifts.

Life form :

hydrophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Eleocharis dulcis is characterized by a graminoid growth form, presenting as a non-woody herb. This species is self-supporting in its structure and does not function as a climber or a parasite, maintaining an independent biological existence. It is classified as a terrestrial plant, lacking epiphytic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant exhibits significant variability in height, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 2.7 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 1 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2.7 m

Plant height mean:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Eleocharis dulcis is characterized by specific morphological and metabolic adaptations suited to its aquatic or semi-aquatic environment. The plant utilizes a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes. Its foliage exhibits significant variability in dimensions, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.1 cm to a maximum of 1 cm, and leaf widths spanning from 0.1 cm to 1 cm. Structurally, the plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining a non-succulent tissue composition. Furthermore, Eleocharis dulcis does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external nutrient availability within its habitat to support its physiological requirements.

Leaf length max:

1 cm

Leaf length min:

0.1 cm

Leaf width max:

1 cm

Leaf width min:

0.1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Eleocharis dulcis is characterized by the production of dry, nut-type fruits that are classified as indehiscent, meaning they do not naturally split open at maturity to release their contents. The seeds contained within these fruits are relatively uniform in size, with a consistent seed volume of 2.1 mm³ (representing both the minimum and maximum recorded values) and a mean seed mass of 0.0010875 g, while individual seed masses range from a minimum of 0.00091 g to a maximum of 0.00131 g. Regarding dispersal, the plant utilizes a zoochorous syndrome, specifically employing epizoochory, where the reproductive units are dispersed via attachment to animals.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit type :

nut

Seed mass max:

0.00131 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0010875 g

Seed mass min:

0.00091 g

Seed volume max:

2.1 mm³

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Eleocharis dulcis has 21 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Ash, Betulin, CALCIUM, Esters, FAT.

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Betulin

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Esters

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

FAT

1. Dr. Duke

IRON

1. Dr. Duke

LIGNIN

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

PHOSPHORUS

1. Dr. Duke

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke

Phenols

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Eleocharis dulcis has 242 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Absorbent, Acidulant, Aggregant, Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor, Allergenic.

Absorbent

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Aggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allergenic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Androgenic?

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Anthelmintic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiAGE

1. Dr. Duke

Preparations