Botanical art
Prior names
Landoltia punctata
Lemna punctata
Lemna oligorrhiza
Spirodela oligorrhiza
Common names
Spotted Duckweed
Thin Duckweed
Etymology
Spirodela from the Greek 'speira' meaning a coil, wreath and 'delos' meaning clear, conspicuous; referring to the spiral vessels in the structure of the plant. Punctata from the Latin 'punctatus' meaning spotted
Distribution and status
Found in the southern Mlount Lofty Ranges, Murrayland and the South-east in South Australia, growing in stagnant ponds or slow-running water-ways, edges of tidal flats, in springs and swamps. Also found in all states Native. Common in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Murray, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Free-floating, sometimes mat-forming, aquatic herb with 2-8 roots to 4 cm, all perforating scale. Thallus (fronds) rounded or broadly obovate, to 5 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, upper surface green, bottom surface often purplish. Fruits are fruits 0.8-1 mm, laterally winged to apex. Seeds are seeds with 10--15 distinct ribs.