The Duckweed Family
(Lemnaceae)
Family Description
The Duckweed Family contains very small freshwater plants, which float on the surface or underneath water. When there are many Duckweed plants growing together, they create the effect of a green blanket floating on top of the water.
They grow on freshwater ponds, lakes and still areas of rivers. They multiply by producing buds. Their flowers are incredibly tiny.
Duckweed has tiny green shoe-shaped leaves, which absorb sunlight. Duckweed is also known as "Duckmeat". Why? Because ducks, swans and other birds, love to eat it.
Duckweed loves fresh (not salty) water (except for Fat Duckweed which can grow in slightly salty water).
Duckweed needs calm, fresh water, and is often found in marshy coastal areas, lakes, ponds and ditches.
Duckweed hates fast-flowing water.
Duckweed has no distinct stems or real leaves, but has leaf-like structures called "fronds", which are either single, or grow with two or three fronds together.
Minuscule roots float in the water underneath the frond. But guess what - the Rootless Duckweed has no roots.
This plant usually multiplies by little buds growing out of its leaves. It can also produce seeds, but the tiny seed-producing flowers very rarely appear.
Seasonal
Duckweed is most abundant during the summer, but can also survive through colder months.
Geographical
Greater Duckweed - is found throughout Britain, but is absent from some parts of the far north, Wales and Scotland. It can be found in the east of Ireland.
Ivy-leafed Duckweed is found throughout Britain, except for North Scotland. It is rare in Southwest England and Southwest Ireland.
Common Duckweed is found throughout Britain except for parts of Scotland and the Shetland Islands.
Lesser Duckweed was introduced from America, and it is now spreading from scattered localities in Britain.
Parents who worried about their children falling into ponds, used a scary story to keep their kids away from the water. They told them about "Jenny-green-teeth", a pond boggart or elf, whose presence under the surface of the water was shown by the green carpet of the Duckweed.
Rootless Duckweed is a world record-breaker. It is the world's smallest flowering plant, and its width is the same as the thickness of your fingernail.
