Stratiotes

Scientific name

Stratiotes L.

Common names

water soldier, water aloe, crab's clawclaw:
(n) narrowed base of some petals and sepals
, sahalehti

Family

Hydrocharitaceae

Similar genera

Blyxa, Eriocaulon, Vallisneria

Native distribution

Europe and central Asia

Species cultivated

Stratiotes aloides L.

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

Stratiotes aloides is considred an aquatic weed.

Habit

rosette rosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
plant; completely submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
or floating below water surface with emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
leaves, attached or unattached

Brief description

Perennial, submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
in winter, rising to just below water surface in warm season to flower. Stem compact and branching, branches appearing stolon-like. Leaves in a rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, linear to lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
, rigid, with serrateserrate:
(adj) (of a leaf margin) bearing sharp teeth pointing forward or to the apex
marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
. Roots unbranched and rarely reaching substrate. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
unisexual (plants dioeciousdioecious:
(adj) having separate male and female flowers on different individuals of the same species
); male inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
of 3-6 flowers; female inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
solitary or rarely of 2 flowers; spathespathe:
(n) a large bract or bracts subtending and often enclosing an inflorescence
of 2 overlapping bracts. Flower actinomorphicactinomorphic:
(adj) of flowers, having radial symmetry; capable of being bisected into identifical halves along more than one axis
; sepals 3, green; petals 3, showy, white. Dispersal by resting buds and seed.

Natural habitat

still or stagnant waters of lakes, ponds, and swamps

Additional comments

Stratiotes aloides is a protected species that is threatened with extinction in parts of Europe. It prefers still, nutrient-rich waters but is apparently sensitive to pollution.