Common Duckweed (Lemna minor)
Description
Lemna minor, the common duckweed or lesser duckweed, is an aquatic freshwater plant of the genus Lemna. They belong to the family of Lemnaceae, which is monophyletic to the Araceae family. L. minor is used as animal fodder, bioremediator, for wastewater nutrient recovery and other applications. L. minor is a floating freshwater aquatic plant, with one, two or three leaves each having a single root hanging in the water. As more leaves grow, the plants divide and become separate individuals. The root is 1-2 cm long. Leaves are oval, 1-8 mm long and 0.6-5 mm broad, light green, with three (rarely five) veins and small air spaces to assist flotation. It reproduces mainly vegetatively by division. Flowers are rarely produced and measure about 1 mm in diameter, with a cup-shaped membranous scale containing a single ovule and two stamens. The seed is 1 mm long, ribbed with 8-15 ribs. Birds are important in dispersing L. minor to new sites. The sticky root enables the plant to adhere to the plumage or feet of birds and can thereby colonize new ponds.
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
-
-
Class: Liliopsida
-
-
Order: Alismatales
-
-
Family: Araceae
-
-
Genus: Lemna
-
-
-
-
-
-
