Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Alismatales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Pistia stratiotes
FAMILY
Araceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Water Lettuce from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pistia stratiotes
FAMILY
Araceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Pistia stratiotes
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Pistia stratiotes
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Pistia stratiotes
COMMON NAME:
Water Lettuce
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Keith Bradley kab_p_stratiotes_70942
July Collier County FL
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
A whorl of male flowers tops a short stalk with a single female at its base, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).
)
JK Marlow jkm160914_085
September
SE-EPPC Aquatic Plant ID Workshop
Leaves light green, thick, softly hairy, with distinct parallel ridges, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).
COMPARE
aquatic plants
)
JK Marlow jkm160914_085b
September
SE-EPPC Aquatic Plant ID Workshop
)
JK Marlow jkm160914_087
September
SE-EPPC Aquatic Plant ID Workshop
)
Graves Lovell, Alabama Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources, Bugwood.org bug_5400750
Month Unknown
Looks like an open head of lettuce floating on the water, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447009
Month Unknown
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Pistia stratiotes
FAMILY
Araceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pistia stratiotes
FAMILY
Araceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Pistia stratiotes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Pistia stratiotes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Pistia stratiotes
1097
Floating aquatic (the roots floating); Forb
Habitat: Stagnant or slow-moving waters of rivers, sometimes cultivated in ponds, where it persists for a while (presumably eventually eliminated by cold winters in the more northern parts of our area), per Weakley's Flora
Native: peninsular Florida & the Tropics
Rare or waif(s)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- SC Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Nuisance Species List, 2003
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- US Fish & Wildlife Service
LEAVES:
Leaves in rosettes connected by underwater stems
FLOWER:
Inflorescence a spadix
FRUIT:
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama (Lovell, 2007) p64
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p435
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".