Wolffia angusta

Wolffia angusta
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Araceae
Genus:	Wolffia
Species:	W. angusta
Binomial name
Wolffia angusta Landolt, 1980

Wolffia angusta is a species of duckweed (Lemnoideae) in the family Araceae, native to the warmer regions of Australia, New Guinea, and with a dusjunct presence in Peninsular Malaysia. ^[2] It has been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the smallest flowering plant on record, measuring 0.6 millimetres (0.02 in) long and 0.33 mm (0.01 in) wide. ^[3] However, more recently Wolffia globosa has been described as the smallest, at 0.1–0.2 mm (0.004–0.008 in) in diameter. ^[4] According to Guinness World Records the fruit of Wolffia angusta is the smallest of any flowering plant, only 0.25 mm long, and weighs only 70  μg. ^[5]

References

1. Lansdown, R.V. (2011). "Wolffia angusta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2011: e.T199685A9117304. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T199685A9117304.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. "Wolffia angusta Landolt". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2025-07-04.
3. Young, Mark C., ed. (1996). Guinness Book of World Records 1997 . Guinness Publishing Ltd. pp.  42. ISBN   0-9652383-0-X.
4. Lock, Helen (4 Sep 2013). "Rare bloom for Wolffia Globosa, the world's smallest flowering plant". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 25 Sep 2016.
5. Craig Glenday, ed. (2005). Guinness World Records - 2006. London: Guinness World Records Ltd. p. 96. ISBN   1-904994-02-4.