Duckweed family
Close up of two different duckweeds: Spirodela polyrrhiza and Wolffia globosa. The very tiny Wolffia plants are under 2 mm long
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division : Magnoliophyta Class : Liliopsida Order : Alismatales Family : Lemnaceae
Genera
Landoltia Lemna Spirodela Wolffia Wolffiella

Lemnaceae, or the Duckweed family, is a family of monocot flowering plants containing the duckweeds (also known as water lentils).

These plants are very simple, lacking a stem or leaves, but consisting of a small blade-like structure floating on or just under the water surface, with or without simple rootlets. Reproduction is mostly by budding, but occasionally a flower consisting of two stamens and a pistil (some call it an inflorescence with three unisexual flowers) is produced. The fruit is an utricle, a sac containing air and a seed designed to float. The flower of Wolffia is the smallest in the world at 0.3 mm long.

The family contains five genera and 38 species and believed to be descended from a plant similar to Pistia in the Family Araceae.

Duckweeds are an important food source for waterfowl and are eaten by humans in parts of Southeast Asia (as khai-nam). Some duckweeds are used in freshwater aquariums and ponds where they may spread rapidly, although in a large pond may be difficult to eradicate once established. The plants can provide nitrate removal (if cropped) and cover for fry.

Reference and external link

• Wayne Armstrong's treatment of the Lemnaceae (http://waynesword.palomar.edu/1wayindx.htm).

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