View source for Biology:Aponogeton distachyos

{{Short description|Species of aquatic plant endemic to South Africa}}
{{Use South African English|date = April 2023}}
{{speciesbox
| image = Aponogeton distachyos, blom, Manie van der Schijff BT, c.jpg
| image_caption = Foliage and inflorescence
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{Cite web|date=5 May 2009|title=''Aponogeton distachyos''|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/185242/8373720|access-date=16 February 2022|website=[[Organization:IUCN Red List|IUCN Red List]]}}</ref>
| genus = Aponogeton
| species = distachyos
| authority = L.f.
| range_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|from=Waterblommetjie range.map|}}
| range_map_caption = {{leftlegend|#987db7|Waterblommetjie (''Aponogeton distachyos'') distribution}}
}}

'''Aponogeton distachyos''' or ''Aponogeton distachyum'', also known as '''waterblommetjie''' (''lit. trans.'' water-floret), '''Cape-pondweed''', '''water hawthorn''', '''vleikos''' and '''Cape pond weed''' is an [[Biology:Aquatic plant|aquatic]] flowering plant.

==Origin==
Native to South Africa's Western Cape and Mpumalanga provinces, but introduced elsewhere in quiet ponds in warm temperate to subtropical climates in winter rainfall areas. It grows in ponds and [[Earth:Vlei|vlei]]s which dry up in summer, becoming dormant in the dry summer and growing again when the pools fill with autumn rain.<ref name=afpd>African FLowering Plants Database: [http://www.ville-ge.ch/cjb/bd/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=14109 ''Aponogeton distachyos'']</ref><ref name=plantzafrica>PlantZAfrica [http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/aponogetondist.htm ''Aponogeton distachyos'']</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Aponogeton distachyon drawing.png|thumb|left|''A. distachyos'', habit, showing aerial and submerged parts]]
It is an [[Biology:Aquatic plant|aquatic plant]] growing from a [[Biology:Tuber|tuber]]ous [[Biology:Rhizome|rhizome]]. The often mottled [[Biology:Leaf|leaves]] float on the water surface from a petiole up to 1 m long from the rhizome; the leaf blade is narrow oval, 6–25&nbsp;cm long and 1.5–7.7&nbsp;cm broad, with an entire margin and parallel veins. The [[Biology:Flower|flower]]s are produced on an erect spike with two branches at the apex like a 'Y', held above the water surface; they are sweetly scented, with one or two white petal-like perianth segments 1–2&nbsp;cm long, and six or more dark purple-brown stamens.<ref name=fnwe>Flora of NW Europe: [http://ip30.eti.uva.nl/BIS/flora.php?selected=beschrijving&menuentry=soorten&id=4174 ''Aponogeton distachyos'']{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=blamey>Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). ''Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. {{ISBN|0-340-40170-2}}</ref><ref name=fna>Flora of North America: [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=222000011 ''Aponogeton distachyos'']</ref>

The species was described by Carolus Linnaeus the Younger in ''[[Biology:Supplementum Plantarum|Supplementum Plantarum]]'' 32, 214. 1782 (as ''"distachyon"'').

==Cultivation and uses==
[[File:Waterblommetjie pickers (7808722170).jpg|thumb|Agricultural workers harvesting waterblommetjies for human consumption in the Western Cape, South Africa.]]
It is widely cultivated in South Africa for its edible buds and flowers, used in the recipe waterblommetjiebredie.<ref name=plantzafrica/><ref name=pfaf>Plants for a Future: [http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Aponogeton+distachyos ''Aponogeton distachyos'']</ref>

It is also used as an aquarium and [[Earth:Pond|pond]] plant. It was introduced to [[Earth:Europe|Europe]] in the seventeenth century, and later into other parts of the world. It has escaped into the wild and has become widely [[Biology:Naturalisation|naturalised]] in {{wipe|Australia}}, and more locally in {{wipe|France}} and {{wipe|England}}. In North America it is naturalised in southern and western {{wipe|California}}.<ref name=fnwe/><ref name=blamey/><ref name=fna/><ref name=apni>Australian Plant Name Index: [http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_name=Aponogeton%20distachyos%25 ''Aponogeton distachyos'']</ref>

It will grow in full sun or partial shade. Planting depth should be about {{Convert|45|cm}}.{{Cn|date=May 2021}}

In the UK at least, it flowers rather unpredictably, but the first flowers generally appear from mid-spring onwards with a break in mid-summer. During a mild winter the flowers may continue to appear intermittently. In deeper water the dormant plants survive the winter at the bottom of the pond, but where winters are severe it is a good idea to lift them and overwinter indoors. They can be divided from November to April. Seeds can be found floating on the surface of the aquarium / [[Earth:Pond|pond]] and can be sown in the Spring in about just over an inch of water (3&nbsp;cm) on a peat / loam substrate at about {{Convert|20|C}} where they will germinate in 1–2 months. Pot on into individual pots and grow in a sheltered spot for the first year in shallow water.{{Cn|date=May 2021}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/aponogetondist.htm ''Aponogeton distachyos - includes Recipe for Waterblommetjie Bredie (stew)'']
*[http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B893 ''St Louis area, USA, growing tips'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q243828}}

[[Category:Aponogeton|distachyos]]
[[Category:Freshwater plants]]

{{Sourceattribution|Aponogeton distachyos}}