Dotted duckweed
Landoltia punctata · Aquatic plants
Up close · Photo: Anne Parker / CC BY
Also called Dotted duckmeat, Spirodela punctata, Spirodela oligorrhiza
How to identify Dotted duckweed
- Oval fronds about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, thick and slightly asymmetric
- Purple underside with tiny dark dots
- Usually 2 to 7 roots per frond
- Fronds often in groups of 2 to 5
Similar plants
Giant duckweed is larger and rounder with more roots, and common duckweed has one root and a green underside.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Grows from late spring, peaks in warm late summer water, and survives mild winters as fronds. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | About 55 to 60 F water |
| Light | Full sun to partial shade |
| Depth | Surface of still water of any depth |
| How it spreads | Budding fronds; spread with aquarium and pond plants |
| Habitat | Warm, still, nutrient rich ponds and ditches at low elevations. |
Why it matters in a lake
Non native and still uncommon in the region. It can form dense mats mixed with other duckweeds.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Not recorded
- Oregon: Rare
- Wyoming: Not recorded
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Alismatales |
| Family | Araceae |
| Scientific name | Landoltia punctata |
Common duckweed
Columbia watermeal
Mosquito fern
Giant duckweed
Star duckweed
Purple fringed riccia
Turion duckweed
Mexican mosquito fern
Least duckweed
Floating crystalwortNeed a hand?
Is it taking over your lake?
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