Accession Data
Pistia stratiotes
Common Name: Water Lettuce, Shellflower
Family: Araceae
Country of Origin: Pantropical
Description: One species, a pantropic, free-floating perennial of quiet ponds nearly throughout the tropics and subtropics; stoloniferous, forming colonies, rosettes to 6 inches across, with long, feathery, hanging roots; leaves obovate to spathulate-oblong, truncate to emarginate at the apex, long-cuneate at base, with many prominent longitudinal veins, light green, velvety-hairy; inflorescence inconspicuous, to 1/2 inch long; flowers few, unisexual, enclosed in a leaflike spathe.
Often grown in ponds and aquaria, can become a serious pest in the tropics.
Uses: Used as a famine food in India. Young leaves are eaten in China. Many traditional medicinal uses. Studies have shown effectiveness for antifungal, hypotensive, bronchodialtor, cytotoxic, larvicidal, anthelmintic, antidermatophytic, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and diuretic activity.
Philippine Alternative Medicine
Accession Data
Accession #: 201100287
Accession Date: 2011-10-24 00:00:00
Bloom Status: 🪴 Not Flowering
Location: 3307
Quantity: 10
Source: Matt Opel
Classification
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
SubFamily: Aroideae
Tribe: Pisteae
Flowering Data:
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References
- The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Accessed 15 July 2015.
- WCSP (2015). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed 15 July 2015.
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