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common duckweed

least duckweed

Roots

up to 15 cm long.

up to 1.5 cm long.

Turions

absent.

absent.

Plant bodies

floating on the surface, elliptic to obovate; (1)2–5(8) mm long, 1.3–2 times longer than wide, generally in clusters of 2 or 3 (sometimes many);

veins 3(5); if more than 3 then the outer veins branching from inner veins;

lower surface flat, green, rarely reddish near the root attachment;

upper surface flat, green (sometimes reddish); and smooth.

floating on the surface, widely elliptic to oblong or obovate; (0.8)1– 2.5(4) mm long, 1–2 times longer than wide, slightly thicker in the middle with thinner margins, 1 vein, often faint; less than 67% the distance from root attachment to apex;

lower surface flat, green;

upper surface flat, green; and usually smooth, sometimes with papillae along the midline, generally in clusters of 2 (sometimes 4).

Lemna minor

Lemna minuta

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Freshwater. 0–1600 m. BR, Casc, CR, Est, Lava, Owy, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout North America; nearly worldwide. Native.

Lemna minor is distinguished from similar species with more than one vein (L. gibba and L. turionifera) by a lack of distinctive features such as a midline ridge or papillae on the upper surface, reddish or inflated lower surface, turions, and an asymmetrical apex.

Freshwater. 50–1400 m. BR, CR, Owy, WV. CA, NV, WA; throughout North America; South America; Eurasia. Native.

This is the smallest Lemna species in Oregon.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 148
Katie Mitchell
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 149
Katie Mitchell
Sibling taxa
L. gibba, L. minuta, L. trisulca, L. turionifera, L. valdiviana
L. gibba, L. minor, L. trisulca, L. turionifera, L. valdiviana
Synonyms Lemna minima
Web links