floating water-hyacinth

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• floating water-hyacinth

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Piaropus crassipes
• Piaropus mesomelas
• Oshuna crassipes
• Eichhornia crassicaulis
• Heteranthera formosa
• Eichhornia crassipes
• Pontederia elongata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It falls under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Commelinales, specifically residing in the family Pontederiaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identification is completed by its placement in the genus Pontederia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse range of locations across the European continent. In Middle Europe, its presence can be identified within the regions of Czechia and Slovakia. Moving toward the Mediterranean, it is found in several parts of Southwestern Europe. Specifically, its distribution includes the territories of France and Portugal. Furthermore, the species inhabits the islands of Corse and Sardegna within the Southwestern European zone.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ponderia crassipes is fundamentally characterized by its aquatic habitat, where it thrives in various water-based environments. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2600 m AMSL. Within this vast vertical gradient, the plant maintains an average elevational range of approximately 850 m AMSL, demonstrating a significant capacity to adapt to diverse topographical and thermal conditions across its aquatic niches.

Elevational range max:

2600 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

850 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

aquatic

Genetics

The genetics of Pontederia crassipes are characterized by significant chromosomal variability and complex polyploid tendencies. The species exhibits diverse chromosome numbers, with documented values of 30, 32, and 58, reflecting a high degree of genomic plasticity. Despite this variation, the plant frequently manifests a diploid ploidy level, categorized as 2, which influences its reproductive strategies and ability to colonize diverse aquatic environments.

Chromosome number :

30,32,58

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Pontederia crassipes is characterized by its status as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions primarily as a hydrophyte, adapted specifically to aquatic environments, while also exhibiting characteristics of a cryptophyte in its survival strategies. As an evergreen species, it maintains its foliage throughout the year, providing continuous vegetative cover within its habitat.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hydrophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Pontederia crassipes is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is an aquatic species that functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite, and it is categorized as terrestrial in its epiphytic status. The plant is self-supporting in its climbing habit, rather than acting as a liana or vine. In terms of stature, it exhibits a variable plant height ranging from a minimum of 0 m to a maximum of 1 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.375 m.

Aquatic :

aquatic

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height mean:

0.375 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ponderia crassipes is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative morphology is defined by significant variability in its foliage, where leaf dimensions range from a minimum length of 3.5 cm to a maximum length of 16 cm, with a mean leaf length of 9.5 cm. Similarly, the leaf width exhibits substantial fluctuation, spanning from a minimum of 4 cm to a maximum of 14 cm, maintaining a mean width of 9.5 cm. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the absorption of available nitrogen from its surrounding environment rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing processes.

Leaf length max:

16 cm

Leaf length mean:

9.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3.5 cm

Leaf width max:

14 cm

Leaf width mean:

9.5 cm

Leaf width min:

4 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Pontederia crassipes involves both sexual and asexual mechanisms, with asexual reproduction being a present and significant mode of propagation. In its sexual phase, the plant produces bisexual flowers characterized by a blue color, which are arranged in inflorescences ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.4 m in length. The flowering period typically begins in June and concludes in June, though the timing can be variable. Pollination is achieved through a biotic syndrome, specifically involving insects. The plant is characterized by the absence of self-fertilization, necessitating cross-pollination. Regarding its seeds, they possess a minimum width of 1.5 mm and a maximum width of 0.6 mm (noting potential morphological variance), while the mean seed mass is recorded at 0 g and the number of seeds per fruit is also recorded as 0. Dispersal is primarily facilitated through hydrochorous (water) and anthropochorous (human) syndromes.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

blue

Flowering time :

Jun

Inflorescence length max:

0.4 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.1 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass mean:

0 g

Seed width max:

0.6 mm

Seed width min:

1.5 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

0

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Pontederia crassipes has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root.

Leaf

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Root

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Chemicals

Pontederia crassipes has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid, As, Benzene-1,4-diol, NONANEDIOIC ACID, Terpenoids.

(9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid

1. Scientific African

As

1. Environmental monitoring and assessment

Benzene-1,4-diol

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

NONANEDIOIC ACID

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Terpenoids

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Activities

Pontederia crassipes has 2 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Anticancer.

Antioxidant

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)

Anticancer

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine