fat duckweed
Lemna gibba L.
Lemna gibba, commonly known as fat duckweed, is a species of duckweed in the Araceae family. It is characterized by a floating frond, typically 1–8 mm long and 0.8–6 mm wide, often gibbous (swollen) in shape. The plant has 4–5 lateral nerves, a rootcap 0.6–1.8 mm long, and produces small, winged fruits. It is widely distributed across multiple regions, including BR, JP, DK, FI, NO, SE, and others. The species is commonly found in still or slow-moving water, as well as on mud or damp rocks.
Description
Lemna gibba is a free-floating aquatic plant with a simple thallus structure. The fronds are usually shiny on the upper surface, with red spots occasionally visible near the tip. The lower surface may show red pigmentation along the margins or nerves. The plant often flowers and fruits, with each fruit containing 1–5 seeds. It lacks rootless turions and is distinguished from other species in the group by its longer rootcap. This species was first described in 1753 by L., and it is one of the most widely distributed duckweeds globally.
Other common names
fat duckweedinflated duckweedgibbous duckweedswollen duckweedgibbous duckwee
Distribution
British Columbia · Madeira · Portugal Continental · Madeira Island · BR · Afrotropical · Nearctic · Neotropical · Palaearctic · DK · FI · NO · SE · EG · Flanders · Cundinamarca · Global · JP · Bogotá · Andina (altiplano cundiboyacense) · Belgium · Brussels-Capital Region · Flemish Region · Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Argentina Northeast · Argentina Northwest · Arizona · Austria
Synonyms
Lemna cordataLemna parodianaLemna trichorrhizaLenticula gibbaLenticula gibbosaTelmatophace arrhizaTelmatophace generalisTelmatophace gibbaTelmatophace gibbosa
