Crassula natans

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Floating pigmyweed
Crassula natans.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Crassula
Species:
C. natans
Binomial name
Crassula natans
Synonyms
  • Bulliarda capensis
  • Helophytum natans
  • Tillaea filiformis
  • Tillaea filiformis var. parvula
  • Tillaea fluitans var. intermedia
  • Tillaea fluitans var. obovata
  • Tillaea reflexa

Crassula natans, commonly known as floating pigmyweed, [1] is a herb in the family Crassulaceae. [2]

This annual herb is often found in an aquatic environment. It blooms between July and November producing white-pink flowers. [2] The plant has decumbent filiform branches that are around 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length and are often multi-branched when growing in marshy area, or slender floating branches up to 25 cm (9.8 in) in length. It has linear shaped leaves linear approximately 8 millimetres (0.31 in) long and 1 mm (0.039 in) wide in marsh plants, or for floating plants with a length of 14 mm (0.6 in) and a width of 2 mm (0.079 in). [3]

The plant is endemic to the wetlands of Cape Fold area of the Western Cape region of South Africa. [4] It has become naturalised in Western Australia where it is found in winter wet depressions and in gullies and lakes in the Great Southern, Wheatbelt, South West and Peel regions. [2] It is also found throughout southern South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. [3]


References

  1. "Floating Pigmyweed Crassula natans". iNaturalist. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Crassula natans". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 "Crassula natans var. minus (Crassulaceae) Floating Crassula". Seeds of South Australia. Government of South Australia . Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. Will Darwall; D. Tweddle; K. Smith & P. Skelton (2009). The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in Southern Africa. IUCN. ISBN   9782831711263.