Lemnaceae - Images of Lemna minuta

	Home		Keys To Genera		List Of Species		Search		Lemna		Spirodela		Wolffia		Wolffiella		Wayne's Word

Lemna minuta

Dorsal view of three budding plants of Lemna minuta. The smaller, darker, spherical plants are Wolffia columbiana.

A population of Lemna minuta and L. gibba 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.

Lemna valdiviana. One of the most difficult duckweeds to identify in the field is the growth form of Lemna minuta often found in shady habitats. The body is transparent green with one faint nerve (vein) that only extends about 1/2 the distance from the node (point of root attachment) to the apex. The plant bodies are often connected in clonal clusters of four and are slightly longer than typical L. minuta growing in full sunlight. In addition, Lemna minuta growing in full sunlight typically has plants connected in 2's. Lemna valdiviana has plant bodies that are similar to the shade growth form of L. minuta. They are often connected in clusters of four to seven, and the nerve typically extends 3/4 of the distance from the node to the apex. Based on the length of the nerve (barely discernible in above photos), I would conclude that this species is indeed L. valdiviana; however, this conclusion may be changed after growing the species in full sunlight.

Dorsal view of previous species identified as Lemna validiviana, showing extent of nerve (vein) in relation to node (point of root attachment) and apex of plant body (frond). The single faint nerve extends beyond the midpoint to about 3/4 of the distance between the node and apex. In addition, the thin plant bodies are transparent green and connected in a clonal cluster of five. These characteristics rule out L. minuta, at least the typical form that grows in full sunlight.

Dorsal view of Lemna minuta from Orange County, California, showing extent of nerve (vein) in relation to node (point of root attachment) and apex of plant body (frond). The single faint nerve extends beyond the midpoint to about 2/3 of the distance between the node and apex. This is within the range for L. minuta. The thin plant bodies of this collection were transparent green and connected in clonal clusters of two or four. Individual plant bodies were about 2 mm long, with a row of minute papules along the midline on dorsal surface. The length of vein extension rules out L. valdiviana. The single faint vein rules out L. turionifera and L. minor. The lack of a winged root sheath rules out L. aequinoctialis. The sample was collected by R.E. Riefner, Jr. from an irrigation ditch in an agricultural field in the City of Irvine (27 Oct. 2005).

Return To The Lemnaceae Home Page
Go To Keys To The Genera Of Lemnaceae
Go To The List Of Species Of Lemnaceae
Go To The List Of .GIF Images Of Lemnaceae
Go To The WAYNE'S WORD Home Page