Lemna obscura

Illustrator: John Myers

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Roots to 15 cm, tip mostly rounded; sheath not winged. Stipes white, small, often decaying. Fronds floating, 1 or 2–5 or more, coherent in groups, obovate, flat or gibbous, 1–3.5 mm, 1–1.5 times as long as wide, margins entire; veins 3, greatest distance between lateral veins near middle; very distinct papillae near apex, some smaller indistinct ones on midline of upper surface; lower surface very often red colored (more intensely than on upper), coloring beginning at attachment point of root, lower upper surface sometimes with red spots; air spaces shorter than 0.3 mm; distinct turions absent. Flowers: ovaries 1-ovulate, utricular scale with narrow opening at apex. Fruits 0.5–0.7 mm, not winged. Seeds with 10–16 distinct ribs, staying within fruit wall after ripening. 2n = 40, 42, 50.

Phenology: Flowering (occasional) spring–fall.
Habitat: Mesotrophic to –eutrophic, quiet waters, in temperate to subtropical regions with mild winters
Elevation: 0–800 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ala., Ark., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Va., Wis., c Mexico, South America (Colombia, Ecuador), Hawaii.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.