waterhyacinth |
Plants: Aquatic |
|
Liliopsida > Liliales > Pontederiaceae > Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms
|
| Synonym(s): floating water hyacinth |
| Waterhyacinth is a free floating aquatic plant that has invaded aquatic areas throughout the eastern and southern portions of the United States. Plants can grow to 3 ft. (1 m) in height. The leaves are oval to elliptical, thick, up to 6 in. (15 cm) wide and waxy with spongy petioles. Leaves curve inward at the edges. The very showy blue-purple flowers are born on upright spikes. Each flower has six petals with the uppermost having a yellow patch. Waterhyacinth invades lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and other types of wetland habitats. It reproduces chiefly by vegetative means and can quickly form dense floating mats of vegetation (populations can double in size in two weeks!). These dense mats restrict light to the underwater environment, reduce the light availability for submersed plants and aquatic invertebrates, and deplete the oxygen levels. Waterhyacinth is native to South America and was first introduced as an ornamental into the United States in 1884 at the Cotton States Exposition in New Orleans. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 0002102 |
Diagram or Graphic |
Morphology of waterhyacinth plants: A. The "attenuated-petiole" rosette form produced in crowded conditions; B. An expanding axillary bud; C. A developing ramet; and D. The "bulbous-petiole" rosette form produced in open conditions. Abbreviations: ar - adventitious root; bb - bud bract; in - inflorescence; is - leaf isthmus; la - leaf blade; pl - primary leaf; pd - peduncle of flower spike; pt - leaf petiole; rh - rhizome; sp - spathe; st - stolon. |
USDA ARS Archive |
| 0002101 |
Distribution |
Drainages infested |
U.S. Geological Survey Archive |
| 5271038 |
Feature(s) |
Cross-section of petiole |
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5204015 |
Field |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204016 |
Field |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204017 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204018 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204019 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204020 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5204021 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 2152075 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152076 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 5204023 |
Flower(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5233066 |
Flower(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5271034 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5162087 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162088 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162089 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162090 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162091 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162092 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 2132054 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wilfredo Robles |
| 2152063 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1237079 |
Flower(s) |
|
Josh Hillman |
| 1237096 |
Flower(s) |
|
Josh Hillman |
| 1319092 |
Flower(s) |
The natural beauty of water-hyacinth's flower and foliage has helped it spread to become a floating nightmare in many tropical areas. |
Willey Durden |
| 2152066 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152070 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152072 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152078 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152079 |
Flower(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 5271036 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5271037 |
Flower(s) |
|
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5391629 |
Flower(s) |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5400410 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400411 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400412 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5371534 |
Flower(s) |
|
Vladimir Dinets |
| 5400417 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400418 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400419 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5403027 |
Flower(s) |
|
Rebekah D. Wallace |
| 5400415 |
Flower(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5403029 |
Foliage |
|
Rebekah D. Wallace |
| 5391630 |
Foliage |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5391631 |
Foliage |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5391632 |
Foliage |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5391633 |
Foliage |
|
Barry Rice |
| 5271035 |
Foliage |
Leaves with inflated petiole |
Leslie J. Mehrhoff |
| 5204022 |
Foliage |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5162093 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162094 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162096 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162097 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162098 |
Infestation |
habit near bridge |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162099 |
Infestation |
habit view makai |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5163023 |
Infestation |
in tub |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162083 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162084 |
Infestation |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162085 |
Infestation |
habit and flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162086 |
Infestation |
flowering habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 2152073 |
Infestation |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152074 |
Infestation |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152068 |
Infestation |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152069 |
Infestation |
|
Chris Evans |
| 0002100 |
Infestation |
Alligator Alley |
Willey Durden |
| 2132008 |
Infestation |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1391151 |
Infestation |
|
John D. Byrd |
| 1391152 |
Infestation |
|
John D. Byrd |
| 1459229 |
Infestation |
|
Utah State University Archive |
| 1559391 |
Infestation |
in flower |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5392124 |
Infestation |
A lake! |
John M. Randall |
| 5400401 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400402 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5344032 |
Infestation |
|
Karen Brown |
| 5344033 |
Infestation |
|
Karen Brown |
| 5344034 |
Infestation |
|
Karen Brown |
| 5400414 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400404 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400405 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400406 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400407 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400408 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400409 |
Infestation |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5275029 |
Management |
|
Tony Pernas |
| 0002131 |
|
data from Louisana showing reduced waterhyacinth acreage and limited annual growth after introduction of Neochetina eichhorniae in 1974, N. bruchi in 1975, and Niphograpta albiguttalis in 1979 |
USDA ARS Archive |
| 0014017 |
|
Bayou Chevreuil |
Gerald J. Lenhard |
| 0002074 |
Plant(s) |
at Mara River |
Ted D. Center |
| 1319093 |
Plant(s) |
Water-hyacinth in bloom. |
Ted D. Center |
| 1299054 |
Plant(s) |
|
John D. Byrd |
| 1559393 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 2152064 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152067 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152071 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 2152080 |
Plant(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152081 |
Plant(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 2152082 |
Plant(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 5162006 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5162065 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5204012 |
Plant(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5162095 |
Plant(s) |
single plant on sidewalk |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5233067 |
Plant(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5212026 |
Plant(s) |
Dense mat of Eichornia crassipes, Water Hyacinth |
Katherine Parys |
| 5212027 |
Plant(s) |
Large area covered by Water Hyacinth, Eichornia crassipes in Southern Louisiana. |
Katherine Parys |
| 2152077 |
Plant(s) |
|
Wendy VanDyk Evans |
| 5400403 |
Plant(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5400413 |
Plant(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5344031 |
Plant(s) |
|
Karen Brown |
| 5400416 |
Plant(s) |
|
Graves Lovell |
| 5403030 |
Root(s) |
|
Rebekah D. Wallace |
| 5233068 |
Root(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5204013 |
Root(s) |
|
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
| 5376438 |
Seed(s) |
|
Julia Scher |
| 5376439 |
Seed(s) |
apex of the seed |
Julia Scher |
| 5307035 |
Seed(s) |
|
Steve Hurst |
| 5368009 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Carey Minteer |
| 5403028 |
Stem(s) |
|
Rebekah D. Wallace |
| 5204014 |
Stem(s) |
cross-section |
Pedro Tenorio-Lezama |
|
