Pontederia crassipes Mart.

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Photo: Mark Hyde
Mutoko CL

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools

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Mussicadzi River, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Joao Massunde
Instituto Agrário de Chimoio(IAC), Chimoio

Photo: Bart Wursten
Sungwe Channel, Urema floodplain, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi river between Avani and Royal Livingstone Hotels, Livingstone.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Hippo Beach, Akagera National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Boat launch, Akagera National Park, Kayonza

Photo: Bart Wursten
Akagera National Park

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Synonyms:	Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms
Common names:	Water hyacinth (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Introduced
Description:	Herb, usually free-floating but occasionally rooted in mud, 4-40 cm. Leaves 4-8, clustered on short rhizomes, erect, very variable; in free-floating plants: petiole 5-10 cm, markedly swollen below; lamina 4-9 cm wide, ovate to circular; in older plants rooted in mud, the petiole is longer and not swollen. Inflorescence a c.8-flowered showy spike, raised above leaves. Perianth tube 20 mm, curved; limb 5-7 cm in diameter, slightly 2-lipped, pale mauve with the central lobe broadest with large blue area and central yellow spot.
Type location:	Brazil
Notes:	A serious invader, rapidly colonizing and blocking waterways through extensive vegetative reproduction by means of floating stolons. Surprisingly this widespread and invasive species appears only to have been recorded from the Southeast sofar, particularly on the Limpopo river border with South Africa.
Derivation of specific name:	crassipes: thick-footed or thick-stalked.
Habitat:	Most often free-floating on the surface of dams and ponds, sometimes rooted in mud.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical and subtropical America and widely naturalised throughout the tropics.
FZ divisions:	SE
Growth form(s):	Aquatic.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:	Neochetina eichhorniae (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 53. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 238 - 239. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Catarino, L. & Martins, E.S. (1996). The Pontederiaceae of the Flora Zambesiaca Area Kirkia 16(1) Pages 23 - 24. as Eichhornia crassipes. Catarino, L. & Martins, E.S. (2010). Pontederiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(2) Pages 72 - 74. as Eichhornia crassipes. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 162. as Eichhornia crassipes. Henderson, L. (2001). Alien weeds and invasive plants Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 12. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa. Page 21. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Henderson, L. & Cilliers, C.J. (2002). Invasive Aquatic Plants Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 16. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Council, South Africa. Pages 10 - 15. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 112. as Eichhornia crassipes. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 137. as Eichhornia crassipes. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 99. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 448 - 449. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 10. as Eichhornia crassipes. (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Burundi: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of the DRC: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of Malawi: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of Mozambique: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of Rwanda: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of Zambia: Pontederia crassipes
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pontederia crassipes

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pontederia crassipes
African Plant Database: Pontederia crassipes
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pontederia crassipes
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pontederia crassipes
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pontederia crassipes
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Pontederia crassipes
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pontederia crassipes
JSTOR Plant Science: Pontederia crassipes
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pontederia crassipes
Plants of the World Online: Pontederia crassipes
Tropicos: Pontederia crassipes
Wikipedia: Pontederia crassipes