Lemnaceae - Images of Lemna gibba
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Lemna gibba

Lateral view of a budding plant showing swollen (gibbous) underside with enlarged air spaces (aerenchyma tissue).

Dorsal view of a flowering Lemna gibba showing a style and two stamens protruding from a lateral budding pouch.

Dorsal view of Lemna gibba showing a developing fruit (utricle) protruding from the lateral budding pouch.

Close-up view of two Lemna gibba plants side-by-side. On the left plant two stamens are protruding from the lateral budding pouch. On the right plant a ripening ovary (pistil) is protruding from the budding pouch. Contact between adjacent plants with pollen-bearing stamens and receptive stigmas could result in pollination. This phenomenon in duckweeds is known as "contact pollination."

A population of Lemna gibba and L. minuta in the San Dieguito River of San Diego County. Plants of L. gibba are larger and their dorsal surface is heavily pigmented with reddish anthocyanin.

September population bloom of Lemna gibba? in Twin Oaks Valley, San Marcos (San Diego County). The plants have apical and nodal papules on the dorsal side and a distinct reddish ventral side. The closely related L. minor lacks these characteristics. Unlike typical L. gibba, the ventral side is not swollen (gibbous). I originally identified these as L. turionifera because of the dorsal papules and reddish ventral surface, but now have changed my mind.

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