Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Small

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Freshwater wetland

Range

Eurasia

Movement

Drifting

Breeding

Runners

Defense

Camouflage

Status

Uncommon

About

This floating aquatic plant drifts across the surface of calm ponds and ditches. Its leaves contain specialized air pockets that allow the entire colony to stay buoyant.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Alismatales

Family

Hydrocharitaceae

Genus

Hydrocharis

Species

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae