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duckweed, lesser duckweed

lenticulare turionifère, red duckweed, turion duckweed

Roots

to 3 cm;

tip usually sharp pointed;

sheath winged at base (wing 1–2.5 times as long as wide).

shorter than 15 cm, tip mostly rounded;

sheath not winged.

Flowers

ovaries 1-ovulate, utricular scale open on 1 side.

ovaries 1-ovulate, utricular scale with narrow opening at apex.

Fruits

0.5–0.8 mm, not winged.

0.5–0.6 mm, not winged.

Seeds

with 8–26 distinct ribs, falling out of fruit wall after ripening.

with 30–60 indistinct ribs, staying within fruit wall after ripening.

Stipes

small, white, often decaying.

white, small, often decaying.

Fronds

floating, 1 or 2–few, coherent in groups, ovate-lanceolate, flat, 1–6 mm, 1–3 times as long as wide, margins entire;

veins 3, greatest distance between lateral veins near or proximal to middle; 1 often very distinct papilla near apex on upper surface and 1 above node;

anthocyanin absent, no reddish color;

largest air spaces much shorter than 0.3 mm; distinct turions absent.

floating, 1 or 2–few, coherent in groups, obovate, scarcely gibbous, flat, 1–4 mm, 1–1.5 times as long as wide, margins entire;

veins 3, greatest distance between lateral veins near or distal to above middle;

papillae distinct on midline of upper surface (apical papilla scarcely larger than others);

lower surface often red (more intensely so than on upper), coloring beginning at attachment point of root, upper surface (especially near apex) sometimes with red spots;

air spaces to 0.3 mm;

turions sometimes present, rootless, olive to brown, 0.8–1.6 mm diam., sinking to bottom.

2n

= 40, 42, 50, 60, 80, 84.

= 40, 42 (G), 50, 80.

Lemna aequinoctialis

Lemna turionifera

Phenology Flowering (frequent) spring–fall. Flowering (occasional) summer.
Habitat Mesotrophic to eutrophic, quiet waters in warm-temperate to tropical regions Mesotrophic to –eutrophic, quiet waters, in continental, temperate regions
Elevation 0–1300 mm 0–3700 m (0–12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MO; MS; NC; NE; NM; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; Central America; South America; Indian Ocean Islands; Pacific Islands; West Indies; Atlantic Islands; Africa; s Eurasia; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AL; AZ; CA; CO; CT; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; MA; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SD; TX; UT; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; NB; NL; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Mexico (Baja California); Eurasia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Some authors did not distinguish between Lemna aequinoctialis and L. perpusilla and used the latter name for both species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

I know of no specimens of Lemna turionifera from Maine, New HampshireSt. Pierre and Miquelon, or from New Jersey, but the species is to be expected there..

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 22, p. 149. FNA vol. 22, p. 148.
Parent taxa Lemnaceae > Lemna Lemnaceae > Lemna
Sibling taxa
L. gibba, L. minor, L. minuta, L. obscura, L. perpusilla, L. trisulca, L. turionifera, L. valdiviana
L. aequinoctialis, L. gibba, L. minor, L. minuta, L. obscura, L. perpusilla, L. trisulca, L. valdiviana
Synonyms L. paucicostata
Name authority Welwitsch: Bol. Ann. Cons. Ultramar. (Portugal) 55: 578. (1859) Landolt: Aquatic Botany 1: 355, fig. 4g–h. (1975)
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