Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Commelinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (10/20/20):
Piaropus crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Water Hyacinth from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Total evidence phylogeny of Pontederiaceae (Commelinales) ... (Pellegrini, et al., 2018)
Pontederia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 039-01-001:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Piaropus crassipes
COMMON NAME:
Common Water-hyacinth
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_e_crassipes1_bol
July Bolivia
Leaves spade-shaped and curled upward on sides. Roots feathery, floating, per Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama.
COMPARE
aquatic plants
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_e_crassipes2_bol
July Bolivia
Perianth 6-parted, upper segment larger with yellow blotch at center, per Flora of China.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (10/20/20):
Piaropus crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Total evidence phylogeny of Pontederiaceae (Commelinales) ... (Pellegrini, et al., 2018)
Pontederia crassipes
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 039-01-001:
Eichhornia crassipes
FAMILY
Pontederiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Piaropus crassipes
2512
Floating aquatic (the roots floating); Forb
Perennial
Non-native: tropical America
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Uncommon in Coastal Plain but can be an aggressive aquatic weed (rare in Piedmont)
Look for it in ponds, ditches, sluggish water, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- SC Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Nuisance Species List, 2003
- SC List of Regulated Pest Plant Species, 2017
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal rosette
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Blue, light purple
Bisexual
4 petaloid perianth segments, in two whorls
6 stamens (3 long, 3 short)
Superior ovary
Inflorescence a spike
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Field Guide to Aquatic Plants of Alabama p62
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC p394
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast p399
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry p111
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States p159