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Water Primrose
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Water Primrose
ative Photo: Tabish
Common name: Water Primrose, Water Dragon, marshy jasmine • Assamese: Pani Khutora • Bengali: Keshardam • Kannada: ನೀರುದಂಟು Neerudantu, ನೀರುಹಾವು Neeru haavu, ತೋಯಿದಂಟು Toyidantu • Malayalam: Nir-charambu • Manipuri: ꯏꯁꯤꯡ ꯀꯨꯟꯗꯣ Ising kundo • Nepali: जडेलो Jadelo • Telugu: Neeru bachhali, Neeti theegalu
Botanical name: Ludwigia adscendens    Family: Onagraceae (Evening primrose family)
Synonyms: Jussiaea repens, Jussiaea adscendens

Water primrose is an aquatic or sub-aquatic perennial herb that may be emergent, may be anchored, with horizontal extensions over the water surface, or may be free floating. A lovely plant with catchy white flowers, Water primrose, extending from the water margin to deeper water. Its leaves are alternate, oblong, up to 7 cm long, apex rounded or obtuse, margin entire. Its flowers consist of 5 creamy white petals, yellow at the base, obvate, apex rounded. Water primrose is a water lover that usually found in freshwater habitats. Its stem and leaves can float on the surface of water, enabling it to grow in deep or shallow water. The roots of Water primrose, the most peculiar structures, are also worth mentioning. This plant has two types of roots, one that anchor the plant to the soil and the other that look like tiny bananas (and that's why it's also called "water banana" elsewhere). The latter contains air sac to keep the plant afloat, and assist respiration. Native to subtropical Himalayas, India, east to China, Malaysia, Australia, it is found near sea level to 1600 m.

Identification credit: R.K. Nimai Singh Photographed in Botanical Park, Manipur.

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