Landoltia punctata — spotted-duck-meal
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Facts
Spotted-duck-meal is a native member of the duckweed family that reaches the northern edge of its range in Massachusetts. This tiny aquatic plant has "leaves" (thalli) with 5-7 veins, and about 2-7 dangling roots, all of which puncture the tiny scale at the base of the leaves. It inhabits high-nutrient waters of lakes and rivers.
Habitat
Lacustrine (in lakes or ponds), riverine (in rivers or streams)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- aquatic
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Roots
- there are two or more roots per thallus
- Thallus shape in cross-section
- the thallus is somewhat flattened on at least one side in cross-section
- Thallus length
- 1.5–8 mm
- Thallus shape
- the thallus is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Thallus dimensions
- 1.5–2
- Veins on upper surface
- 3–7
-
Flowers
- Scale surrounding flower
- yes
- Stamen number
- 2
-
Fruits or seeds
- Fruit length
- 0.8–1 mm
- Seed surface ribbed
- the seed surface has ribs running from end to end
-
Growth form
- Root length
- Up to 70 mm
- Root number
- 1–12
- Roots
- there are two or more roots per thallus
- Roots perforating basal scale
- all the roots protrude through the basal scale
- Thallus dimensions
- 1.5–2
- Thallus edge
- the edge of the thallus is smooth (without teeth) near the tip
- Thallus length
- 1.5–8 mm
- Thallus shape
- the thallus is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Thallus shape in cross-section
- the thallus is somewhat flattened on at least one side in cross-section
- Thallus with red pigment
- yes
- Turions
- no
-
Leaves
- Papilla on thallus
- no
- Veins on upper surface
- 3–7
-
Place
- Habitat
- aquatic
- New England state
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
-
- in lakes or ponds
- in rivers or streams
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
None
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Landoltia punctata (G.F.W. Mey.) Les & D.J. Crawford E
spotted-duck-meal. Lemna punctata G.F.W. Mey.; Spirodela punctata (G.F.W. Mey.) C.H. Thompson • MA. Mesotrophic to eutrophic waters of lakes and rivers.
Native to North America?
Yes