Araceae
Lemna

Lemna aequinoctialis Welw.

First published in Ann. Cons. Ultramar. (Portugal), Parte Nâo Off. 24: 578 (1858 publ. 1859)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is a hydroperennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It is used as a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Vernacular
DUCK WEED
Morphology Leaves
Fronds solitary or 2–5 connected, obovate to elliptic, slightly asymmetric, 1.5–3.3 mm long, 0.8–2.5 mm wide, the upper surface minutely keeled with a median line of small papillae, with a more prominent papilla opposite the attachment of the root and often another at the apex; lower surface flat to slightly convex; root sheath with lateral wings; nerves usually 3 but often indistinct
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 1 ovule
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed oblong-ovoid, prominently ribbed.
Distribution
Grand Cayman. Of cosmopolitan distribution, occurring widely in both tropical and temperate regions.
[Cayman]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164404/120124962

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

CATE Araceae, 17 Dec 2011. araceae.e-monocot.org

General Description
Fronds 1-6.5 mm long, 0.8-4.5 mm wide, 1-3 times as long as wide; usually with one papule which is located on the upper surface above the node and is smaller than the one near the tip; wing of the root sheath 1-2 1/2 times as long as wide. INFLORESCENCE: Plants often flowering and fruiting. INFRUCTESCENCE: Fruit 0.5-0.8 mm long, 0.4-0.7 mm wide, not winged; style 0.05-0.20 mm long; seed 0.45-0.80 mm long, 0.3-0.7 mm thick, brownish, with 8-26 distinct longitudinal and 30-80 lateral ribs, falls out of the fruit wall after ripening; outer seed coat with 2-4 subepidermal cell layers.
Distribution
Distribution Subtropical and tropical regions of the whole world; introduced to more northern regions by rice cultures.
Diagnostic
Seeds with 8-26 distinct ribs, fall out of fruit wall after ripening; wing of the root sheath 1-2.5 times as long as wide; mostly one papaule above the node which is smaller than the one near tthe tip. Found in warmer regions of the whole world.
[CATE]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology Leaves
Fronds floating, pale green, ovate-elliptic, asymmetrical, 1.5–6 mm long, 3-nerved; daughter fronds remaining connected
Morphology Roots
Root with a winged sheath; root-cap acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed solitary, with 8–26 longitudinal ribs, falling out of the fruit after ripening.
Distribution
S1 throughout tropical and warmer parts of the world.
Ecology
Altitude c. 200 m.
Note
This has previously often been treated as L. perpusilla Torrey, but according to Kandeler & Hügel in Pl. Syst. Evol. 123: 83–96 (1974) and Landolt (1986) L. perpusilla is a North American species distinct from the pantropical L. aequinoctialis. First record from Somalia.
[FSOM]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 1000 m.; Amazonia, Llanura del Caribe, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba, acuática
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–1000 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Huila, Magdalena, Santander, Sucre, Tolima.
Habit
Herb, Aquatic.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC. National Red List of Colombia (2021): Potential LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Common Names

English
Duckweed

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • CATE Araceae

    • Haigh, A., Clark, B., Reynolds, L., Mayo, S.J., Croat, T.B., Lay, L., Boyce, P.C., Mora, M., Bogner, J., Sellaro, M., Wong, S.Y., Kostelac, C., Grayum, M.H., Keating, R.C., Ruckert, G., Naylor, M.F. and Hay, A., CATE Araceae, 17 Dec 2011.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0