Eichhornia crassipes
Content
Description
Perennial, free-floating. Vegetative stem condensed, except when branching; flowering stem glabrous, up to 25 cm long, lower internode reflexing after flowering, the upper internode less than 4 cm. Sessile leaves in a basal rosette; petiolate leaves emersed, blade rounded, 2.5-11 cm long, 3.5-9.5 cm wide, obtuse at apex; petiole at least slightly swollen, 3.5-38 cm long. Inflorescence a spike with 4-15 flowers, all normally open the same day, but some inflorescences developing over two days; peduncle glabrous, 5.0-12.5 cm long; spathe obovate, 4-11 cm long. Flowers blue or violet-blue, tube 10-12 mm long, tepals obtuse at apex, 16-37 mm long, the central upper tepal with a dark blotch in the center and a yellow spot within the blotch; upper stamens 14-19 mm long, lower stamens 20-35 mm long, anthers 1.7-2.1 mm long; ovary 3-6 mm long, stigma 3-lobed, pilose; tristylous. Capsule rarely produced, about 10 mm long; seeds 1.1-2.1 mm long, 0.6-0.9 mm widewith 11-14longitudinal wings.