Pistia

Federal Noxious Weed List Florida Noxious Weed List Florida Prohibited Aquatic Plants List No No Yes UF-IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas CATEGORY I on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s (FLEPPC) 2017 List of Invasive Plant Species FWC WEED ALERT (PDF) More Info: Invasive and Non-native Plants You Should Know Identification and Biology of Nonnative Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas – Second Edition See Table 1 in For brief control information, see PISTIA STRATIOTES L. water lettuce, laitue d’eau Araceae/Arum Family pronounced: pis-tee-a / stra-tee- o-teez from: pistos (G.): water stratiotes (G.): a soldier (Discordies name for an Egyptian water plant) a water plant Synonymy None known Water lettuce is a floating plant. Experts disagree as to whether water lettuce is native to the U.S.: it has been present in Florida since as early as 1765 when the explorer, William Bartram, As its name implies, water lettuce resembles a floating open head of lettuce. Water lettuce has very thick leaves. The leaves are light dull green, are hairy, and are ridged. There are no leaf stalks. Water lettuce roots are light-colored and feathery. Its flowers are inconspicuous. Habit • water lettuce is a floating perennial • floating, “obligate” (requiring a wet habitat) • linked plants form dense mats in the water • will halt boat traffic on rivers; will cover a lake surface from shore to shore Habitat • an aquatic weed worldwide in rivers, lakes and ponds of tem...

Copper contamination of industrial waste streams is increasingly common with copper used in an array of industrial processes. Phytoremediation of copper-contaminated water with Pistia stratiotes presents a cost-effective, efficient and uncomplicated alternative for copper removal from industrial wastewater. This study examines the ability of Pistia stratiotes to remove copper from distilled water representing a highly nutrient-deficient medium and natural surface water containing plant nutrients inherently. Control and experimental sets were set up with growth solutions of distilled water and natural surface water spiked with 5 g/mL, 10 g/mL, 15 g/mL, 20 g/mL and 25 g/mL copper. The control sets were devoid of Pistia stratiotes while the experimental sets contained Pistia stratiotes. Copper concentration and pH of the solutions were tracked over 10 days. This study revealed the ability of Pistia stratiotes to remove copper in both types of growth solution with contamination level ranging from 5 to 25 mg/L and pointed to its ability to phytoremediate higher level of copper contamination. Pistia stratiotes also raised the pH of the growth solutions. Copper removal from both types of growth solution demonstrated a predominantly first-order elimination kinetics except for copper concentrations above 15 mg/L in distilled water where the zero-order elimination kinetics predominated. Copper removal efficiency decreased with increasing copper concentrations in both types of growth...

Phonetic Spelling PIS-tee-ah stra-tee-OH-tays This plant has medium severity poison characteristics. Description Water lettuce is a floating aquatic poisonous plant. Its leaves spreadin a rosette on the water surface, which inhibits algae growth. This spongy, rounded plant has conspicuously indented main veins. It grows in still waters of ponds, ditches, swamps, and slow-moving streams and features feathery roots. This plantwill deplete oxygen levels and kill fish. It forms large dense mats of plant matter which hinders boating, fishing, and other lake and river activities. This plant can be invasive; remove unwanted growth. It can be very invasive in locations with year-round warm temperatures and high humidity. It is sometimes used in aquariums. In colder climates, it survives by reseeding itself. Water lettuce is toxic if eaten in large quantities. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant is listed as invasive in NY, WI, CA and FL and is on watch lists in MI and other states See this plant in the following landscape: Cultivars / Varieties: Tags: • Attributes: Genus: Pistia Species: stratiotes Family: Araceae Life Cycle: Perennial Country Or Region Of Origin: Tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, USA Dimensions: Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. • Whole Plant Traits: Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial Poisonous Water Plant Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Broadleaf Evergreen Habit/Form: Spreading Growth Rate: Rapid Mai...

Pistia stratiotes (Water Lettuce) is a free-floating, aquatic perennial forming small rosettes, 4-6 in. across (10-15 cm) of velvety, soft green, deeply veined leaves. Resembling floating heads of lettuce, the leaves produce plantlets that stretch out from the mother plant on slender stems. Inconspicuous white flowers grow in the leaf axils. Feathery roots dangle from the plants, providing a hiding place for small fish. Water Lettuce notoriously multiplies and can rapidly cover vast expanses of open water. If it covers the surface of the water, then oxygen depletion and fish kills can occur. It will also eliminate submerged plants by blocking sunlight penetration. This plant should be controlled before it covers the entire surface of the pond. Native to tropical and subtropical areas, Water Lettuce occurs naturally in still waters of ponds, ditches, swamps, slow-moving streams. Highly susceptible to frost, Water Lettuce is a popular addition to water gardens and ponds, where it provides attractive foliage cover and discourages algae growth. • This evergreen aquatic perennial grows up to 3-6 in. tall (7-15 cm) and 12-18 in. wide (30-45 cm). • Performs best in full sun to part shade. No planting is necessary, simply place this floating plant directly on the surface of the water. • Virtually pest and disease free. • Reduce its spread by removing portions with a net. • Native to tropical and subtropical lakes. • Pistia stratiotes can be quite invasive in frost-free tropical cl...

Common Names: Tropical duckweed Description: Best surveyed in summer and fall, can be identified throughout the growing season. Habit: Free floating aquatic plant; forms a rosette; feathery roots extend up to 80cm (32 in) below water surface. Leaves: Thick and ridged, dull light green in color, short velvety hairs. Stems: Stemless. Flowers: Inconspicuous flowers on stalk in center of rosette; cluster of male flowers about and single female flower below. Fruit and seeds: Fruit is a green berry. Habitat: Found in ponds, lakes, ditches, slow-moving or still water. Reproduction: Vegetatively or by seed; daughter plants form on stolons. Typically introduced via water gardens; may also be spread by boats and trailers. Monitoring and rapid response: Hand-pulling for small infestations; mechanical chopping/harvesting. Credits: The information provided in this factsheet was gathered from the Michigan Natural Features Inventory and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Individual species images that appear with a number in a black box are courtesy of the Bugwood.org network (http://www.invasive.org).Individual photo author credits may not be included due to the small display size of the images and subsequent difficulty of reading the provided text. All other images appear courtesy of Google (http://images.google.com).

Table of Contents • • • • • • • • • • Water Lettuce Habitat and origin Pistia stratiotes (Araceae) are popular all over the world, but the perennial plant of the aroid family is native to Africa, the American, and Asian tropics. It resembles an outwardly opened bunch of lettuce or a head of cabbage, which makes it different from all other crops. Under natural conditions, it spreads quickly, bushes can grow up to 30 cm in diameter. If you do not control the growth of the pistia, then it can do a lot of harm. If you do not follow the growth, Water Lettuce: • densely covers the surface of all bodies of water, creating difficulties for ships; • shades other plants, disrupting gas exchange, which leads to waterlogging of the reservoir; • infests rice fields and other crops; • leads to an increase in the number of mosquitoes that like to breed in the leaves of the culture; • quickly spreads through water, with the help of wind and birds, which carry seeds over long distances. However, pistia is a useful plant: • Malaysians, Chinese and Indians use the culture to treat dysentery, venereal and skin diseases; • pigs and other livestock eat grass; • is a nutritious fertilizer; • removes stains from fabrics and other surfaces; • serves as a detergent for dishes; • Asians eat boiled leaves, add to cold and hot dishes; • in aquariums and other artificial reservoirs, it cleans and filters water from salts and heavy metals, helps to improve the aquaclimate, fry, small fish and spawning f...