FoI
Duck Lettuce
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Duck Lettuce
ative Photo: Chandrashekhar Marathe
Common name: Duck Lettuce, Water-plantain Ottelia • Bengali: Parmikalla • Kannada: ಹಸಿರುನೀರುಪಾತ್ರೆ Hasiru Neeru Paathre, ಕೊಟ್ಟಿಗೆಣಸುಬಳ್ಳಿ Kottigensu Balli • Malayalam: Ottel-ambel • Manipuri: ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯟꯆꯥꯛ Lairenchak • Marathi: Olek-alsem • Nepali: जल पालक Jal Paalak • Tamil: Nirkkuliri • Telugu: Edukula thaamara, Neeru veniki
Botanical name: Ottelia alismoides     Family: Hydrocharitaceae (Tape Grass family)
Synonyms: Stratiotes alismoides, Ottelia indica
Duck Lettuce is a fresh-water plant with leaves arising from root. Leaf blades are submerged, sometimes partly emergent in shallow water, broadly ovate to circular, thin and translucent. A closely related species Swamp Lily differs in that it has elliptic to ovate, thick and opaque leaves. Leaf stalks are 3-sided, 8-50 cm long. Leaves are 7-22 cm x 4.5-21 cm. Flowers are 3-petalled, white. Sepals are 1-1.5 cm long. Petals are white with yellow-spotted base, 2-3 cm long. Fruits are enclosed in spathe.
Identification credit: Chandrashekhar Marathe Photographed in Maharashtra.
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