Pontederia cordata - (image 1 of 5)
Taxonomy
Family: Pontederiaceae
Habitat
Shallow water of lake shores, slow-moving streams, open bogs.
Associates
Distribution
Nova Scotia west to Ontario and MN, south to South America.
Morphology
Rhizomatous, colonial perennial to 1 m. Leaves smooth, lanceolate to ovate, subcordate to cordate, on long petioles. Flowers blue-purple, clustered, irregular, in a terminal spike 5-15 cm long; tepals 6, connate at base to form a tube; perianth lobes 1 cm or less, the lower distinct, the upper united about half their length and marked with yellow; stamens 6 with 3 exserted and 3 included, the filaments pubescent. Fruit 1-seeded..
Notes
Flowers late June to September
Wetland indicator: Obligate
A very attractive species often cultivated in water gardens. It is easily grown in shallow water and is perennial if the root is protected from freezing.
This family also includes Heteranthera dubia (Jacq.) MacMill, or Water Star Grass, which has linear leaves and solitary yellow flowers. It grows in quiet water and on mud flats.
Also included in this family is Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, or Water Hyacinth, a Tropical American species that has become naturalized as far north as VA and MO. It has inflated petioles that allows it to float on the surface of the water. Commonly grown in water gardens.
Eichhornia crassipes - Water Hyacinth
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
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Michael Hough © 2009 |