Water Lettuce / Nile Cabbage
Pistia stratiotes
Also known as Water Bonnets, Tropical Duck-Weed
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka & more
- Flowering
- May-February
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Pistia stratiotes
- Genus
- Pistia
- Family
- Araceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Native to
- Africa, Asia
- Distribution
- Tropics & sub-tropics of the World
- Found in India
- Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Puducherry, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Manipur
- Flowering & fruiting
- May-February
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- BasalrecordedLeaves cluster at the base of the plant rather than along a stem.“Pistia stratiotes is a perennial monocotyledon with thick, soft leaves that form a rosette.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- Cordate (heart-shaped)recorded
- Leaf margin
- UndulaterecordedA wavy, rippled edge.“The leaves can measure 2 – 15 cm long and are light green, with parallel venations and wavy margins.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Water Lettuce itself; the rest are typical of the Araceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Fruit type
- BerryrecordedA fleshy fruit with seeds embedded directly in the pulp, no central stone.“Oval, green berries with ovoid seeds form after successful fertilization.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Spike
Characters marked “recorded” are for Water Lettuce itself; the rest are typical of the Araceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- अन्तरगंगा Antarganga, दलाढक Daladhak, हठ Hath
- Nepali
- जजल कुम्भी Jal Kumbhee, पानी बन्दा Paanee Bandaa, जलकुम्भी
- Bengali
- জলকুম্ভী Jalakumbhi, টাকাপানা Takapana, টোপাপানা
- Tamil
- ஆகாசத்தாமரை Akasha-T-Tamarai, அந்தரத்தாமரை Antara-T-Tamarai, குழித்தாமரை Kuli-T-Tamarai
- Telugu
- అంతరతామర Antara-Tamara, బుడగ తామర Budaga Tamara, ఆకాశతామర Akashatamara
- Kannada
- ಅಂತರಗಂಗೆ Antaragange, ಅಂತರತಾವರೆ Antarataavare, ಕುಂಬಿಕ Kumbika
- Malayalam
- ആകാശത്താമര Akasathamara, കോടപ്പായൽ Kodappayal, മുട്ടപ്പായൽ Muttappayal
- Marathi
- आकाशमूली Akashamuli, गोंडाळ Gondaal, जलमांडवी Jalamandavi
Water Lettuce in India
This floating aquatic plant, known as अन्तरगंगा Antarganga (Hindi), ஆகாசத்தாமரை Akasha-T-Tamarai (Tamil), అంతరతామర Antara-Tamara (Telugu), ಅಂತರಗಂಗೆ Antaragange (Kannada), ആകാശത്താമര Akasathamara (Malayalam), आकाशमूली Akashamuli (Marathi), is a common sight on ponds and slow-moving water. Pistia stratiotes is found across Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, NCT of Delhi, often forming dense mats on still water.
Uses
It's sometimes grown in ornamental ponds and aquariums for its rosette shape, and it can help take up excess nutrients from water, though it can also spread aggressively and clog waterways if not managed.
How to Identify Water Lettuce
A floating rosette of soft, pale green, velvety, ribbed leaves with no true stem, trailing feathery roots below the waterline. Flowers are tiny and inconspicuous, tucked at the base of the leaf rosette.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Nile cabbage called in different Indian languages?
- अन्तरगंगा Antarganga (Hindi); ஆகாசத்தாமரை Akasha-T-Tamarai (Tamil); అంతరతామర Antara-Tamara (Telugu); ಅಂತರಗಂಗೆ Antaragange (Kannada); ആകാശത്താമര Akasathamara (Malayalam); आकाशमूली Akashamuli (Marathi); জলকুম্ভী Jalakumbhi (Bengali).
- Is water lettuce a weed?
- It can be — while attractive and useful for ornamental ponds in small numbers, it reproduces quickly and can form dense mats that clog waterways if left unchecked.
- Does it have real roots in the soil?
- No — it floats freely on the water's surface, with feathery roots trailing directly into the water rather than anchored in soil.
Araceae
Arum family
Water Lettuce belongs to the Araceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Araceae
View all Araceae →Sources: GBIF — Pistia stratiotes (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Pistia stratiotes (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)