Aeschynomene fluitans
Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, Math.-Phys. Kl., n. s. 13: 82. 1928.
Herbs, perennial, aquatic, stem darkening on drying. Stems floating on surface, hollow, 1–4.5 m, hirsute, densely covered with adventitious roots. Leaves 4–8 cm; stipules peltate, appendiculate, 12–25 × 2–6.5 mm, apex attenuate; leaflets 12–24, blades 1-veined, slightly asymmetric with straight sides, narrowly oblong or oblanceolate, 11–23 × 3–6 mm, margins entire or very finely serrulate and ciliate, apex rounded and slightly mucronate, surfaces glabrous and glaucous. Inflorescences 1-flowered, stalk glabrous. Flowers: calyx 4–9 mm, bilabiate, abaxial lip 3-dentate, adaxial lip barely emarginate, glabrous; corolla yellow, 18–30 mm, banner glabrous, keel petals laciniate; gynophore 8–13 mm, jointed with proximal segment, glabrous. Loments: abaxial margin slightly crenate, adaxial margin ± straight, sutures between segments distinct, breaking into 1-seeded segments; segments 1–4(or 5), oblong, 9–12 × 6–9 mm, reticulate venation inconspicuous, faces glabrous. Seeds dark brown, 8.5 × 5 mm.
Phenology: Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat: Floating in slow rivers and ponds, in floodplains, stream and pond margins.
Elevation: 0–10 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., Africa.
Discussion
Aeschynomene fluitans is commonly cultivated (under the names Botswana wonder, large-leaf sensitive plant, and giant water fern) as an ornamental pond or aquarium plant.
Selected References
None.