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duckweed

Scientific Name: Lemna

Family: Lemnaceae

Category: Monocot

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Duckweed: The Tiny Titan of Aquatic Ecosystems

Duckweed, often recognized as a familiar sight on ponds, consists of tiny, rounded leaves that float on the water's surface. Its rapid growth and potential to cover entire ponds make it a subject of interest and, sometimes, concern for pond owners.

Considerations for Pets

  • Duckweed is often found in ponds and other bodies of water, which could be accessible to pets.

Considerations for Children

  • Duckweed is often found in ponds and other bodies of water, which could be accessible to children.

Scientific Name and Common Names

  • Scientific Name: Lemna minor
  • Common Names: Duckweed, Water lens, Water weed, Bayroot

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Lemnaceae (Duckweed Family)
  • Duckweed belongs to the subfamily Lemnoideae.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Duckweed is commonly found in still or slow-moving bodies of fresh water and wetlands.
  • It is a common plant in the UK and abundant in many areas worldwide.

Ecological Role

  • Duckweed is a rapidly spreading aquatic plant.
  • It can deprive ponds of oxygen due to its rapid growth and coverage of the water surface.
  • Duckweed naturally limits the growth of algae.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Duckweed is described as the smallest flowering plant.
  • It floats on the water surface in a bright green layer.
  • Individual plants of Lemna minor have a single root.
  • Duckweed does not have stems or leaves, but rather a round, slightly oval-shaped body called a "frond."
  • The fronds are very small, ranging from 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length.

Quirky Facts

  • Duckweed can double its biomass rapidly, making it one of the fastest-growing plants.
  • Despite their simple appearance, duckweeds are ideal experimental organisms for labs.

Other Species

  • Other duckweed species include Landoltia punctata, Lemna disperma, Lemna japonica, Lemna minuta, Lemna paucicostata, Lemna perpusilla and Spirodela polyrhiza.
  • Greater Duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) has more than one root per leaf, and its leaves are larger, ranging from 4-12 mm long.