Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Malvids: Myrtales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Trapa natans
FAMILY
Lythraceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Trapa natans
FAMILY
Trapaceae
COMMON NAME:
European Water Chestnut, Water Caltrop
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_trna_001_lvd
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Trapa natans
FAMILY
Lythraceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Trapa natans
FAMILY
Trapaceae
3797
Emergent aquatic (rooted); Forb
Perennial
Non-native: Eurasia & Africa
Documented growing wild in - - -
Rare
Look for it in farm ponds and other stagnant or slow-moving 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:
- Forest Health Assessment & Applied Sciences Team: New Invaders of the Southeast
- 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
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Fruit armed with 2-4 prominent spines
LEAVES:
Submerged leaves finely divided, feather-like; floating leaves simple
Submerged leaves alternate; floating leaves in a rosette at water's surface
Petioles of floating leaves 2-6' long
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
White (inconspicuous)
4 sepals
4 petals
Flowers borne in the center of the rosette of floating leaves
FRUIT:
Nut-like
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control p419
- New Invaders of the Southeast p107