Pontederiaceae

9 gen., temp. to trop., aquatics.

Eichhornia Kunth

1 species naturalized Aust.; Qld, NSW, Vic., WA

Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Floating, aquatic herb with numerous roots, spreading vegetatively by stolons. Leaves tufted; petioles swollen and spongy, 5–50 cm long; blades flat, elliptic to orbicular, c. 10 cm long. Flowers in erect racemes with c. 8 flowers. Flowers irregular, bisexual. Perianth pale violet with some blue and yellow on the lower lobe, 6-lobed, c. 5 cm diam., tubular. Stamens 6. Ovary 3-locular, superior. Fruit a capsule. Widespread. Streams and ponds. Regarded as a noxious weed because it blocks watercourses. Introd. from Central and S. America. Water Hyacinth