Water Hyacinth
Common Water Hyacinth (E. crassipes)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Commelinales Family: Pontederiaceae Genus: Eichhornia Kunth
Species
Seven species, including: E. azurea - Anchored Water Hyacinth E. crassipes - Common Water Hyacinth E. diversifolia - Variableleaf Water Hyacinth E. paniculata - Brazilian Water Hyacinth Download high resolution version (600x865, 89 KB)Common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) bloom from USDA. Photo by Willey Durden. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of land plants. ... Liliopsida is the botanical name for a class. ... Families Commelinaceae Haemodoraceae Hanguanaceae Philydraceae Pontederiaceae The Commelinales are an order of monocots, including the spiderwort family, Commelinaceae. ... Genera Eichhornia Heteranthera Pontederia The Pontederiaceae are a family of aquatic plant commonly called the water hyacinth. ... Carl Sigismund Kunth (1788-1850) was a German botanist. ... Binomial name Eichhornia crassipes (Mart. ...

The seven species of water hyacinths comprise the genus Eichhornia of free-floating perennial aquatic plants native to tropical South America. With broad, thick and glossy ovate leaves, water hyacinths may rise some 1 metre in height. The leaves are 10-20 cm across, supported above the water surface by long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purplish black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pinkish in colour with six petals. When not in bloom, water hyacinth may be mistaken for frog's-bit (Limnobium spongia). Nymphaea alba, a species of water lily. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ... Frogbits or frogs bits can refer to the following plants: Hydrocharis morsus-ranae - European frogbit Limnobium laevigatum - Amazon frogbit, South American frogbit Limnobium spongia - American frogbit Category: ...

One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners or stolons, eventually forming daughter plants. They may also reproduce via seeds. The common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a vigorous grower known to double its population in two weeks. Silverweed (Argentina anserina) picture showing red stolons. ...

Invasiveness as an exotic plant

Common water hyacinth in flower

Water hyacinths have been widely introduced throughout North America, Asia, Australia and Africa. For example, they can be found in large water areas in Louisiana, or in the Kerala Backwaters in India. In many areas they, particularly E. crassipes, are important and pernicious invasive species. First introduced to North America in 1884, an estimated 50 kilograms per square metre of hyacinth once choked Florida's waterways, although the problem there has since been mitigated. When not controled, water hyacinth will cover lakes and ponds entirely; this dramatically impacts water flow, blocks sunlight from reaching native aquatic plants, and starves the water of oxygen, often leading to fish kills. The plants also create a prime habitat for mosquitos, the classic vectors of disease, and a species of snail known to host a parasitic flatworm which causes schistosomiasis (snail fever). Directly blamed for starving subsistence farmers in Papua New Guinea and Australia, water hyacinth remains a major problem where effective control programmes are not in place. Common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) from USDA. Photo by Ted Center. ... Common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) from USDA. Photo by Ted Center. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Map of Backwaters in Kerala The Kerala Backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. ... Lantana invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel The term invasive species refers to a subset of introduced species or non-indigenous species that are rapidly expanding outside of their native range. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami metropolitan area Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... General Name, symbol, number oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals, chalcogens Group, period, block 16, 2, p Appearance colorless (gas) pale blue (liquid) Standard atomic weight 15. ... For other uses, see Mosquito (disambiguation). ... In epidemiology, a vector is an organism that does not cause disease itself but which spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another. ... For other uses, see Snail (disambiguation). ... A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ... Classes Monogenea Trematoda Cestoda Turbellaria Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Platyhelminthes Wikispecies has information related to: Platyhelminthes The flatworms (Phylum Platyhelminthes from the Greek platy, meaning flat and helminth, meaning worm) are a phylum of relatively simple soft-bodied invertebrate animals. ... Schistosomiasis or bilharzia is a disease affecting many people in developing countries. ...

Water hyacinth often invades water bodies that have already been impacted by human activities. For example, it is a common problem in eutrophied lakes that receive large amounts of pollution, and in artificial reservoirs. Eutrophication, strictly speaking, means an increase in chemical nutrients -- typically compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus -- in an ecosystem. ...

In some areas, uses are being found for the abundant plants, such as for cattle food and in biogas production. Recently, they have also begun to be used in wastewater treatment due to their fast growth and ability to tolerate high levels of pollution. For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ... Biogas-bus in Bern, Switzerland Biogas typically refers to a (biofuel) gas produced by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation of organic matter including manure, sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, biodegradable waste or any other biodegradable feedstock, under anaerobic conditions. ...

As chemical and mechanical removal is often too expensive and ineffective, researchers have turned to biological control agents to deal with water hyacinth. The effort began in the 1970s when USDA researchers released three species of weevil known to feed on water hyacinth into the United States, Neochetina bruchi, N. eichhorniae, and the water hyacinth borer Sameodes albiguttalis. Although meeting with limited success, the weevils have since been released in more than 20 other countries. However, the most effective control method remains the control of excessive nutrients and prevention of the spread of this species. Predatory Polistes wasp looking for bollworms or other caterpillars on a cotton plant Biological control of pests and diseases is a method of controlling pests (including weeds and diseases) in agriculture that relies on natural predation, parasitism or other natural mechanism, rather than introduced chemicals. ... “USDA” redirects here. ... Families Anthribidae - fungus weevils Attelabidae - leaf rolling weevils Belidae - primitive weevils Brentidae - straight snout weevils Caridae Curculionidae - true weevils Nemonychidae - pine flower weevils Wikispecies has information related to: Curculionoidea A weevil is any beetle from the Curculionoidea superfamily. ...

External links

Hyacinth-choked lakeshore at Ndere Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Water hyacinth

• Converting Water Hyacinth into the industrially valuable enzyme
• Practical uses of Water Hyacinth