html5-img
1 / 17

The Water Hyacinth

The Water Hyacinth. Eichhornia crassipes. Labeled one of the worst invasive plants in the world It is a member of the Pontederiaceae family A noxious species. Water Hyacinth. Characteristics. Mat forming, floating plant Spongy, waxy and glossy leaves

anjelita-ortiz
Download Presentation

The Water Hyacinth

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes

  2. Labeled one of the worst invasive plants in the world It is a member of the Pontederiaceae family A noxious species Water Hyacinth

  3. Characteristics • Mat forming, floating plant • Spongy, waxy and glossy leaves • Doubles its population in as little as 12 days • 95% water, has a fibrous tissue • Is similar to the native frog's-bit, Limnobium spongia

  4. Characteristics Continued… • Remove nutrients directly from water. • Reproduction includes • Sexual-- seeds • Asexual– over wintering stems and the creation of daughter plants

  5. Often Confused with Frog's-bit, Limnobium spongia native of golf states

  6. History • Native of South America • Introduced to Florida in the early1880’s. • Became a popular plant for gardens and domestic ponds.

  7. Example of a large mat Located in Milnerton, Cape Town in South Africa

  8. Location/ Habitat • Wetland plant • Grows in rivers: • Ponds • lakes • costal fresh water bays • marshes • It is available in Pennsylvania for purchase from nurseries • They are problematic to the ponds and lakes of Pennsylvania

  9. U.S. Distribution of Invasive Populations

  10. Uses • Has been used by waste treatment plants • It is a ornamental plant • Possible food source • high energy and protein content

  11. Impact • Damage • Disrupts commercial and recreational use of waterways • Much like algae their deaths lead to anoxic conditions • Future • Scientists are worried about the development of a cold resistant species • Likely because it reproduces sexually

  12. Impacted Continued… • Has also invaded • Central America • North America • Africa • India • Asia • Australia • New Zealand

  13. Biota Control • The use of herbicides is a common method of control • diquat • Other control methods involve the introduction of insects • They reduce to plant height and consume viable seeds

  14. Biota Control Continued… moth (Sameodes albiguttalis) two weevil species of the Neochetina spp.

  15. Thanks to: • http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/hyacin2.html • http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua010.html

More Related