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Pontederia crassipes Mart.
| Family Name: | Pontederiaceae |
| Synonyms: | Eichhornia crassipes, Eichhornia crassicaulis, Pontederia elongata |
| Common Name: | Lilac Devil, Water Hyacinth, Kemeling Telur, Common Water Hyacinth |
Name
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Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub, Aquatic & Hydrophyte (Floating) |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Tropical America |
| Native Habitat | Aquatic |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Exotic |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Floating, aquatic plant reaching up to 0.5 m wide. |
| Roots | Fibrous roots are long and feathery. |
| Foliage | Large, roundish leaves are slightly cupped, smooth and glossy with entire leaf margin. The leaf stalk is filled with air and helps to keep the plant afloat. |
| Flowers | Light purple to blue flowers are arranged on a spike inflorescence. The top petal has a yellow, oval-shaped center surrounded by distinct, dark purple lines that originate from the base, radiate outwards and branch toward the middle and outer edges of the petal. The inflorescence perched on a long stalk can reach up to 0.6 m tall. |
| Fruits | Fruit is a capsule that contains 3 compartments filled with small, ribbed seeds. |
| Cultivation | This species can be grown in soil or water. The leaf stalk will be short and round in water, but long and thin in soil. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | [Others]: In rural areas, the leaves are used as pig feed. It has strong phytoremediation potential, because it absorbs many types of pollutants, such as lead, zinc, nickel, mercury, chromium, and arsenic. It also absorbs the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorous which are detrimental to the environment at excess levels. Research is being conducted on using this plant to treat sewage waste. In Cambodia, the leaf stalks are dried and weaved together to make various products, like baskets and table mats. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
| Landscape Uses | Pond / Lake / River, Phytoremediation |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
| Water Preference | Lots of Water |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stolon / Runner |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Rosulate / Rosette |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Orbicular / Round) |
| Foliar Venation | Parallel |
| Foliar Margin | Entire - Wavy / Undulate |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Rounded |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality 1 | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Purple, Blue |
| Flower Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Bilateral |
| Individual Flower Shape | Stellate / Star-shaped |
| Inflorescence Type | Spike |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type 1 | Dehiscent Dry Fruit |
| Fruit Type 2 | Capsule |
| Mature Seed Texture(s) | Ridged / Corrugated |
References
| References | Yong J, Tan PY, Nor Hafiz Hassan, Tan SN. 2010. A Selection of Plants for Greening of Waterways and Waterbodies in the Tropics. Singapore: Chung Printing . 480 pp. |
Image Repository
| Images |
Others
| Master ID | 689 |
| Species ID | 1984 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
