Description

• Duckweed is an aquatic monocot that ranges in size from less than 1/25 inch to about 1/2 inch long. A monocot is a flowering plant whose stem grows through deposits from the inside. Palms, grasses, lilies and orchids are monocots. Lemnaceae "Wolffia" has the smallest known flower in the world. Duckweed consists of a small platelike structure with no obvious stems or leaves. It floats on or just below the water surface, sometimes with small rootlets extending from the body of the plant.
  
  

Growing Environment

• Duckweed is usually seen in thick mats covering the surface of water. There may be several species of the plant growing together. Its round, slightly oval-shaped body is called a "frond." The fronds float closely together forming mats. Duckweed varieties range in color from light green to reddish-purple. Microscopic flowers in tiny pouches bloom in July and August. Tiny oval-shaped fruits are formed after the flowers bloom. Duckweed spreads quickly in water polluted with high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from synthetic fertilizer.
  
  

Relationships in Nature

• Duckweed is a food source for many aquatic animals, including birds, snails, turtles, beaver, fish and ducks. It is a high-protein food that is also part of the human diet in some parts of Southeast Asia. Duckweed also creates a sheltered habitat for frogs, snakes, fish, insects and small crustaceans. Other animals that use duckweed for shelter include the American toad, largemouth bass, yellow perch, channel catfish, the crane fly and the freshwater leech. Plants often found growing in duckweed include cattails, swamp rose mallow, greater bladderwort, reeds, green algae and pond lilies.
  
  

Benefits

• Duckweed grows by using the excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water that creates pollution. It is often used as a feed for domestic farm animals. It is also used as a waste water treatment to capture toxins and eliminate water odors. Duckweed is also under research as a potential source for clean energy because it grows rapidly, has five to six times the amount of starch as corn and does not contribute to global warming. It helps clean up pollution by removing carbon dioxide from the environment.