Aquarius emersus (Lehtonen) Christenh. & Byng
Basionym : Echinodorus emersus Lehtonen[1]
Occurrence:
Peruvian and Ecuadorian Amazon region, Bolivia
Ecology
Grows on flooded savannahs, lakeshores and on mats of floating vegetation along lakeshores in both blackwater and whitewater communities. At altitudes of 170 - 280 m.
Morphology General habit
Perennial, from rhizomes, petioles and stems rough, up to 220 cm, rhizomes 2 cm diam. Leaves emersed, blades ovate, 9 - 13-veined, 12 - 25 cm long, 7 - 18 cm wide, without translucent markings, apex round-pointed, base cordate, petioles round, furrowed, star-shaped hairy, longer than the blade, 16 - 110 cm long, 3 - 8 mm diam., base with sheath up to 10 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits cross-lanceolate, 3 - 6-ribbed, keeled, without glands, 2 - 3 mm long, 1 mm wide, beak end, erect, 0.3 - 1 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence racemose or paniculate, of 8 - 21 whorls, each 3 - 12-flowered, erect, leaves overlapping, occasionally multiplying, up to 90 cm long, up to 20 cm wide, rachis round, star-shaped hairy, pedicels round and furrowed, 60 - 130 cm long, 0.6 - 1 cm in diameter, bracts free, lanceolate, coarse, 0.6 - 1 cm long, 0.4 - 0.8 cm wide, c. 15 - 22-ovate, apex pointed, pedicels spread out in flower and fruit, 0.5 - 1 cm long, 0.7 mm diam. flowers c. 3 cm diam, sepals erect, 15 - 20-veined, 5 mm long, 5 mm wide, veins without papillae, petals spreading, white, without claws, overlapping, c. 15 mm long, c. 17 mm wide, stamens 14 - 22, anthers many-sided, 1.2 mm long, filaments c. 1.5 mm long, carpels numerous
Note
The epithet is derived from the Latin emergere, meaning to emerge or become visible, which is chosen for the tall, erect inflorescences. This species has been classified as Echinodorus sp. 2 in Lehtonen & Myllys (2008). E. emersus is closely related to E. scaber, but can be easily recognized by its large and showy flowers, which contrast with the peculiar flowers of E. scaber, which have tiny, backward-curving petals. The distribution of E. emersus covers the western side of South America, while E. scaber is found in the northern and central parts of the continent.
Phenology
Flowering and fruiting throughout the year.[1]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 POWO (2021). "Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Im Internet veröffentlicht; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ Abgerufen am 22. August 2021."