Ludwigia sedioides | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Phylum: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Onagraceae |
Genus: | Ludwigia |
Species: | L. sedioides |
Binomial name | |
Ludwigia sedioides (Humb. & Bonpl.) H.Hara | |
Ludwigia sedioides, commonly known as mosaic flower and false loosestrife, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. It has yellow flowers that bloom from June to August. Native to Brazil and Venezuela, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.
The majority of Ludwigia sedioides are found in subtropical America. Mosaic plant is native to Central America and South America, primarily Venezuela, Panama, Columbia, and Brazil. [2] [3] Due to its rapid growth, efficient mode of reproduction, and aggressive nature, it has been identified as a potentially invasive plant in Sri Lanka. In the future, it may pose a threat to Sri Lanka's biodiversity. [4]
It is an aquatic herbaceous shrub. It is found in standing pools of water with leaves floating on the surface, or growing in very swampy wet soils. The stems of this plant are reddish and brittle. Leaves are diamond-shaped with toothed margins, radiate outwards to form mosaic-like rosettes. The edges of central and older leaves turn bright red when the plant is grown under bright light or sunlight. Leaf rosettes are fully extended during daytime with gaps in between leaves. At night, the rosettes contract such that the leaves overlap one another. This plant is suitable for ponds or containers with 30–60 cm (12–24 in) depth. The plant needs to be rooted in the substrate below the water surface. The genus Ludwigia was named after German botanist and professor of medicine, Christian Gottlieb Ludwig. Ludwig corresponded with Carl Linnaeus about plant classifications, and Linnaeus dedicated the genus Ludwigia in honor of Ludwig. The species epithet sedioides means 'resembling sedum', a reference to the leaves which resemble those of certain Sedum species in terms of appearance and color changes under strong light. [5] It is also a palindrome.
The flowers are bright yellow, cup-shaped, solitary, produced in leaf axils from June to August in native habitats. Fruits are explosive capsules. The flower measures 50 mm (2 in) across. [2] [6]
Ludwigia sedioides is an ornamental plant. Hence, apart from its natural habitat, it finds its uses in personal (artificial) ponds and aquariums. Though use in the aquarium is somewhat complicated as the need for sunlight and nutrient matters. [7]
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that grows in or near water and is either emergent, submergent, or floating. In lakes and rivers macrophytes provide cover for fish, substrate for aquatic invertebrates, produce oxygen, and act as food for some fish and wildlife.
Cryptocoryne is a genus of aquatic plants from the family Araceae. The genus is naturally distributed in tropical regions of India, Southeast Asia and New Guinea.
Ludwigia alternifolia, commonly known as seedbox, bushy seedbox, rattlebox, and square-pod water-primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. It is native to central and eastern North America, growing in marshes, wet meadows, and swamps. It has yellow, four-petaled flowers and brown seed pods that are shaped like a cube.
Ludwigia helminthorrhiza, known commonly as floating Ludwigia, originally known as Jussiaea natansBonpl. or Jussiaea helminthorrhizaC. Martius is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to south Mexico, Colombia and South America, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.
Ludwigia hexapetala, the water primrose, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to Central and South America, its habitat includes the margins of lakes, ponds, ditches, and streams. Its stems may be immersed or fully emergent. It is a noxious invader of aquatic ecosystems in North America.
Annona glabra is a tropical fruit tree in the family Annonaceae, in the same genus as the soursop and cherimoya. Common names include pond apple, alligator apple, swamp apple, corkwood, bobwood, and monkey apple. The tree is native to Florida in the United States, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and West Africa. It is common in the Everglades. The A. glabra tree is considered an invasive species in Sri Lanka and Australia. It grows in swamps, is tolerant of saltwater, and cannot grow in dry soil.
Aponogeton crispus, the crinkled aponogeton or ruffled sword plant, is an aquatic plant species in the family Aponogetonaceae.
Hydrocotyle vulgaris, the marsh pennywort, common pennywort, water naval, money plant, lucky plant, dollarweed or copper coin, is a small creeping aquatic perennial plant native to North Africa, Europe, the Caucasus and parts of the Levant.
Nymphaea nouchali, often known by its synonym Nymphaea stellata, or by common names blue lotus, star lotus, red water lily, dwarf aquarium lily, blue water lily, blue star water lily or manel flower, is a water lily of genus Nymphaea. It is native to southern and eastern parts of Asia, and is the national flower of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In Sanskrit it is called utpala. This species is usually considered to include the blue Egyptian lotus N. nouchali var. caerulea. In the past, taxonomic confusion has occurred, with the name Nymphaea nouchali incorrectly applied to Nymphaea pubescens.
Ludwigia peploides is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names floating primrose-willow and creeping water primrose. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South America, but it can be found on many continents and spreads easily to become naturalized. It is well known as a troublesome aquatic noxious weed that invades water ecosystems and can clog waterways. This is perennial herb which grows in moist to wet to flooded areas. The stem can creep over 2 meters long, sometimes branching. It spreads to form mats on the mud, or floats ascending in the water. The leaves are several centimeters long and are borne in alternately arranged clusters along the stem. The flower has 5 to 6 lance-shaped sepals beneath a corolla of 5 or 6 bright yellow petals up to 2.4 centimeters long. The fruit is a hard, cylindrical capsule.
Dillenia suffruticosa, also known as simpoh air, simpor, or CB leaf, is a species of Dillenia found in tropical South East Asia in secondary forest and swampy ground. It is a highly invasive weed in Sri Lanka.
Limnocharis flava is a species of aquatic flowering plant which is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic but widely naturalized in southern and southeastern Asia: India, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and southern China.
Ludwigia decurrens is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names willow primrose and wingleaf primrose-willow. It is native to the central and eastern United States.
Limnobium laevigatum is a floating aquatic plant, and is a member of the family Hydrocharitaceae. Common names include West Indian spongeplant, South American spongeplant and Amazon or smooth frogbit. This plant was introduced to North American waterways through use in aquariums and aquascapes.
Myriophyllum alterniflorum, known as alternate water-milfoil or alternateflower watermilfoil, is a species of water-milfoil. It is native to Europe and Asia,has been introduced to North America and inhabits aquatic habitat, such as ponds and streams.
Ludwigia peruviana, with the common names Peruvian primrose-willow or Peruvian water primrose, is an aquatic, sometimes deciduous species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family. It can grow to approximately 12 feet (3.7 m) in height. While native to Peru, it has been introduced in many other countries for its attractive simple yellow flowers, it is now a common weed in swampy areas around the world.
Ludwigia pilosa, the hairy primrose-willow, is a species of plant in the family Onagraceae.
Mayaca fluviatilis, also known as bog moss, is a perennial herbaceous submerged plant in the monogeneric family Mayacaceae. It is native to Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the United States where it is often sold as an aquarium plant. Through the aquatic plant trade, it has recently become naturalized in Sri Lanka, Singapore, and China. It has been identified in three locations in Australia but more populations are likely in other parts of Australia as well.