"水中花仙子"

水丁香 Ludwigia octovalvis

柳葉菜科 Onagraceae

Floral gemstones in waters, often blossoming in lakes or ponds, bringing a touch of freshness and tranquility.

Morphology

Leaf:
- Leaves are opposite pairs with varied shapes including elliptical, obovate, and smooth or slightly hairy surfaces. Leaf color is typically green.
Fruit:
- Fruit is a capsule that develops from the flower buds, often oval or elongated in shape, and splits open when mature to release seeds. Fruits typically float in water and facilitate seed dispersal through water currents.

Root:
- Typically has slender and well-developed root systems that can extend in water or moist soil.
Stem:
- Usually erect or sprawling, often reddish or greenish in color, and covered with smaller leaves. When growing in water, the stems may exhibit a floating habit.

Flower:
- Grow in the axils of the stems, appearing singly or in clusters. They typically have five petals and come in yellow, with an elliptical or funnel-shaped appearance when open.
Seed:
- Usually small, oval, or spherical in shape with smooth surfaces, and can be dispersed by water currents or animals to new locations.

Adapt

Distributions

Ecology

Adapt to an aquatic environment

Its slender and well-developed root system allows for efficient absorption of water and nutrients from the surrounding water or moist soil. The stems may float, enabling the plant to access sunlight for photosynthesis.
Additionally, the plant's ability to reproduce both sexually via seeds and vegetatively through stem fragments aids its survival and spread in aquatic habitats.

Distributions

Native distribution: Native to the Americas, especially wetlands and aquatic environments in North and South America.
Current geographical distribution: It is now widely distributed around the world. It grows widely in wetlands, ponds, rivers and ditches in these areas, becoming part of the local ecosystem.

Ecology

Habitat: Freshwater wetlands, marshes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. It prefers areas with shallow water and plenty of sunlight. Pollination: Typically pollinated by insects attracted to their colorful petals and nectar. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators may visit the flowers, facilitating cross-pollination. Dispersal: The plant reproduces both sexually, via seeds produced in capsules, and vegetatively, through stem fragments. Seeds are dispersed by water currents and animals, while stem fragments can break off and float to new areas, establishing new populations.

Ecology

Habitat: Freshwater wetlands, marshes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. It prefers areas with shallow water and plenty of sunlight.
Pollination: Typically pollinated by insects attracted to their colorful petals and nectar. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators may visit the flowers, facilitating cross-pollination.
Dispersal: The plant reproduces both sexually, via seeds produced in capsules, and vegetatively, through stem fragments. Seeds are dispersed by water currents and animals, while stem fragments can break off and float to new areas, establishing new populations.

Distributions

Others

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Applications

1. Ornamental: It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in aquaria and water gardens due to its attractive foliage and flowers. 2. Ecological restoration: In some regions, Ludwigia octovalvis is used in ecological restoration projects to stabilize soil in wetlands and improve habitat for native flora and fauna. 3. Traditional medicine: In certain cultures, extracts from Ludwigia octovalvis are used in traditional medicine for various purposes. 4. Phytoremediation: Due to its ability to absorb nutrients and contaminants from water, Ludwigia octovalvis is studied for its potential use in phytoremediation projects to improve water quality in polluted aquatic environments.

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Interesting things

In an article on a website, I read that the reason why 水丁香 is called "水丁香" is because its fruit looks like the traditional Chinese medicine clove. I also think it resembles a clove, but to me, it looks more like a tiny banana, which is cute and fits its name well.