Family |
Alismataceae
Alisma plantago-aquatica
L.
Alisma plantago‑aquatica L.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, Pl. XI nº 1; 1966)
Life‑form & habit : Robust emergent or marginal aquatic perennial, usually rooted in shallow water but only submerged at the base; flowering stems 30 – 70 cm tall, smooth and erect.
Leaves : First leaves linear and floating; subsequent leaves emergent, long‑petioled, blade oval to broadly elliptic, 2 – 25 × 1 – 16 cm, apex acuminate, base rounded to shallowly cordate; conspicuous parallel veins with a fine reticulate network.
Inflorescence : Loose pyramidal panicle exceeding the foliage; primary branches verticillate, each whorl carrying c. 8 flowers; bracts herbaceous; pedicels slender, 1 – 3 cm.
Flowers : Sepals 3, green, oval‑oblong, c. 3 × 2 mm, obtuse; petals 3, round to obovate, c. 6 mm, white or pale pink, narrowed at the base into a short yellow claw; 6 stamens.
Fruit : Numerous obliquely obovate drupes, laterally compressed, each bearing a short beak set above the mid‑line of the ventral suture.
Flowering period : Spring to autumn.
Habitat & localities : Slow‑flowing streams, ditches and marshy edges; recorded in Lebanon from Nahr Beirut (near the old aqueduct), between Mar Moussa and Dhour Choueir, Zahlé to Baalbeck, Ta’nail and the ʿAmmiq marsh; in Syria from the Ghouta of Damascus.
Native range : Widespread across Europe, Western and Central Asia, Siberia, China, India and Australia; adventive in parts of South America.