Biology:Hydrocharis laevigata
| Hydrocharis laevigata | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Genus: | Hydrocharis |
| Species: | H. laevigata
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| Binomial name | |
| Hydrocharis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Byng & Christenh.
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Hydrocharis laevigata is a floating aquatic plant, and is a member of the family Hydrocharitaceae. Common names include West Indian spongeplant,[2] South American spongeplant and Amazon or smooth frogbit. This plant was introduced to North American waterways through use in aquariums and aquascapes.
Plant origin and distribution
It is an invasive species in Chile where it has been found from Elqui River in the north to Carlos Anwandter Nature Sanctuary and Ranco Lake in the south.[3]
Description
Hydrocharis laevigata is a floating aquatic plant, which can be mistaken for water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) due to their superficial similarity. Juvenile plants grow in rosettes of floating leaves that lie prostrate upon the water surface, a distinguishing character of the juvenile plant is the presence of spongy aerenchyma tissue upon the abaxial surface (underside) of the leaf. Mature plants grow up to 50 cm tall, and have emergent leaves borne on petioles that are not swollen or inflated like the spongy leaf stalks of water hyacinth, which aid in buoyancy. Spongeplant produces stolons which bear gametes. Flowers are small, white, and unisexual. Female flowers have an inferior ovary, the fruit is a fleshy capsule 4–13 mm long and 2–5 mm in diameter, and seeds are 1 mm long, ellipsoid, and hairy. H. laevigata, or Smooth Frogbit, can be distinguished from H. spongia, American frogbit, by flower and leaf characteristics as well as range. The flowers of both species vary greatly over their ranges. American frogbit is not known to occur in western states unlike smooth frogbit. American frogbit in general has more cordate-based floating leaves, while smooth frogbit generally has more spatulate floating leaves.{{citation needed|date=December
Plant reproduction
Aquascape use
Amazon Frogbit in captivity has two hazards to its health which aquarium owners can avoid: (1) water droplets on the tops of the leaves can rot the plant (they must be kept dry), and (2) some species of aquatic snail appear to like to eat the spongy material on the bottoms of the plant leaves (keep them near the center of the tank, not against the glass on the edges.) [4]
H. laevigata management
References
- ↑ "Hydrocharis laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Byng & Christenh.". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77182334-1.
- ↑ "Limnobium laevigatum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LILA. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
- ↑ San Martín, Cristina; Contreras, Domingo; Vidal, Osvaldo; Solís, José Luis; Ramírez, Carlos (2021). "Distribución en Chile y colonización del río Cayumapu (Valdivia) por el macrófito acuático invasor Limnobium laevigatum" (in Spanish). Gayana. Botánica 78 (1). https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0717-66432021000100065&lng=es&nrm=iso&tlng=es.
- ↑ Thilina Prasanga, Doremure Gamage (2022-01-24). "Amazon Frogbit As A Floating Aquarium Plant". https://petfish101.com/amazon-frogbit/.
- DiTomaso, J. M. and E. Healy, 2003. Aquatic and Riparian Weeds of the West. University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources publication number 3421. 6701 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94608-1239
- Anderson, Lars, and Pat Akers. "Spongeplant: A New Aquatic Weed Threat in the Delta." Cal-IPC News 19.1 (2011): 4-5. Print.
- Akers, Pat. The California Department Of Food and Agriculture Hydrilla Eradication Program Annual Progress Report 2009.
Wikidata ☰ Q65941107 entry
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