Roots
(1)3-18, fairly short, clustered and with a short basal sheath; dorsal and ventral scales present, the latter perforated or adnate to some roots
Fronds
solitary or a few cohering temporarily, reniform to rounded or obovate, flat or inflated, often reddish below, nerves 3-15
Budding
pouches 2, opening just below margin at proximal end, one or the other occasionally producing flowers
Inflorescence
of 1 female and 2 male flowers enclosed in a membranous sheath
Anther
2-thecous
Utricle
with 1-5 ovules
Seeds
ovoid, longitudinally ribbed, with transverse striations or smooth with spongy outer layer
x = 10 (high polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
Spirodela
Schleid.
Schleiden : 391 (1839)
Den Hartog & Van der Plas: 358 (1970)
Cook: 113 (1990)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species 3, ± cosmopolitan
Southern Africa
: Species 2, widespread
References:
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
SCHLEIDEN, M.J. 1839. Prodromus Monographphiae Lemnacearum oder Conspectus generum atque specierum.
Linnaea
13
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