Small, semisubmerged, rootless aquatics; flowering part emergent during anthesis
Fronds
thin, linear to oblong, obtuse, acute or denticulate; flowering frond of
W. denticulata
differing from vegetative form in being short and globose
Budding pouch
at proximal end, triangular, flat, with a transverse slit (in
W. denticulata
daughter plants cohering for some time, also reproducing, eventually forming a star-shaped colony if undisturbed)
Flower cavity
on dorsal surface
Inflorescences 1 or 2 on each frond, each of 1 male flower and 1 female flower, without a membranous sheath
Anther
1-thecous
Ovary
1-ovulate, protogynous
Utricle
1-seeded
Seeds
globose or ovoid, up to 0.45 mm long, smooth with a spongy outer layer
x = 10 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Wolffiella
(Hegelm.) Hegelm.
Hegelmaier: 303 (1895)
Brown: 41 (1897)
Cook: 113 (1990)
Wolffiopsis
Den Hartog & Van der Plas
Den Hartog & Van der Plas: 366 (1970)
Pseudowolffia
Den Hartog & Van der Plas
Den Hartog & Van der Plas: 365 (1970)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 9, tropical and subtropical America and Africa
Southern Africa
: Species 3,
Wolffiella denticulata
(Hegelm.) Hegelm. endemic to KwaZulu-Natal
References:
BROWN, N.E. 1897.
Lemnaceae
.
Flora capensis
7
COOK, C.D.K. 1990.
Aquatic plant book
. SPB Academic Publishing, The Hague
DEN HARTOG, C. & VAN DER PLAS, F. 1970. A synopsis of the
Lemnaceae
.
Blumea
18
HEGELMAIER, F. 1895. Systematische Uebersicht der Lemnaceen.
Botanische Jahrbücher
21
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