Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Wolffia braziliensis
Water-meal, Nippled water meal, Brazilian water-meal
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Wolffia punctata, Wolffia papulifera, Wolffia brasiliensis

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA PlantsITISThe Plant ListIPNI

Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNAUSDA PlantsBONAPBISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots:

Shoots: simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; linear, obovate, oval, hastate leaf shape

Inflorescence: solitary, other

Flowers: unisexual, monoecious; incomplete, not petals, not sepals

Fruit: other

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in sloughs, stagnant waters of ponds; often in organic floating debris of sink-hole ponds.

ILPIN Notes: Plants usually reproduce vegetatively; flowers are rare. This is considered to be good fish food and cover. Thallus is flattened above, freely brown-punctate. Upper side of thallus has one prominent central papilla. At most plant is 1. mm long. Plants have numerous minute brown dots. Species is mostly found in Midwest U.S.A.; also throughout Illinois.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value: fish: good
  • Cover Value: fish: good

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 6
  • Chicago Area: 7

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