Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Oshuna crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
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 Hyacinth from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Water-hyacinth is generally considered the world's most serious aquatic weed. Read more in Weakley's Flora (2023).
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Eichhornia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH Total evidence phylogeny of Pontederiaceae (Commelinales) ... (Pellegrini, et al., 2018)
Pontederia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 039-01-001:
Eichhornia crassipes FAMILY Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Piaropus crassipes
COMMON NAME:
Water-hyacinth
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA / Selected Weeds of the US. 1970 swus_page_103
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_e_crassipes1_bol
July Bolivia
Leaves spade-shaped and curled upward on sides. Roots feathery, floating, per Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama (Lovell, 2007).
COMPARE
aquatic plants
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_e_crassipes2_bol
July Bolivia
Perianth 6-parted, upper segment larger with yellow blotch at center, per Flora of China.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Oshuna crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Eichhornia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Total evidence phylogeny of Pontederiaceae (Commelinales) ... (Pellegrini, et al., 2018)
Pontederia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 039-01-001:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Piaropus crassipes
2512
Floating aquatic (the roots floating); Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Ponds, ditches, sluggish water, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: tropical America
Uncommon in Coastal Plain but can be an aggressive aquatic weed (rare in Piedmont)
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
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- SC Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Nuisance Species List, 2003
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal rosette
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Blue, light purple
4 petaloid perianth segments, in two whorls
6 stamens (3 long, 3 short)
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Inflorescence a spike
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama (Lovell, 2007) p62
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p394
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p482
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p399
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995) p111
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p159
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p417
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".