Water Cress

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Buffalo Spinach

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Enydra heloncha
• Meyera fluctuans
• Enydra paludosa
• Wahlenbergia globularis
• Hingtsha repens
• Enydra longifolia
• Enydra anagallis
• Tetraotis longifolia
• Tetraotis paludosa
• Cryphiospermum repens

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Asterales, it is classified under the family Asteraceae. Ultimately, its scientific name is derived from the genus Enydra.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. Within this zone, its presence is documented in the country of Benin. It can also be found growing throughout Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the species is native to parts of Ghana and Ivory Coast. Finally, its geographical range extends into Nigeria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Enydra fluctuans is characterized by its preference for aquatic vegetation habitats, where it thrives in water-based ecosystems. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1500 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence centered around 30 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1500 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

30 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Vegetação Aquática

Life history

The life history of Enydra fluctuans is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its morphological structure and survival strategy, it functions as a helophyte, often thriving in wetland or aquatic environments where it can manage varying water levels. Furthermore, its growth habit is classified as a chamaephyte, indicating that its perennating buds are located close to the soil surface, which aids in its resilience and ability to regenerate within its specific ecological niche.

Life form :

helophyte

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Eryndra fluctuans is characterized by a low-growing, non-woody structure, primarily functioning as a herb and a forb. It maintains a relatively diminutive stature, with a mean plant height of approximately 0.5 m and a maximum height reaching up to 0.3 m. The plant exhibits a self-supporting growth habit, meaning it does not function as a liana, vine, or obligatory climber, but rather stands independently. It is classified as a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies, and it does not function as an epiphyte. Furthermore, the plant is an independent organism, showing no parasitic behavior toward other flora.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Enydra fluctuans is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its foliage and its metabolic relationship with soil nutrients. The leaf structure exhibits significant variability in size, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 6 cm, maintaining a mean length of approximately 4 cm. Complementing this, the leaf width shows a corresponding range, spanning from a minimum of 0.4 cm to a maximum of 1.4 cm, with a mean width recorded at 0.9 cm. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic mechanism to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable biological form.

Leaf length max:

6 cm

Leaf length mean:

4 cm

Leaf length min:

2 cm

Leaf width max:

1.4 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.9 cm

Leaf width min:

0.4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Enydra fluctuans is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces fruits classified as achenes. These fruits are notably small and consistent in size, with a measured fruit length that maintains a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 0.35 cm. Furthermore, the fruit is characterized as indehiscent, meaning it does not split open at maturity to release its seeds, instead remaining intact to protect the reproductive components.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Fruit length max:

0.35 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Enydra fluctuans has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CU, PB.

CU

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

PB

1. Environmental science and pollution research international

Preparations

Enydra fluctuans has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include surface-washed water.

Surface-washed water

1. New microbes and new infections