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Alisma lanceolatum [Narrow-leaved Water-plantain]


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Rørslett, B. 2013. Alisma lanceolatum With. (Alismataceae). Narrow-leaved Water-plantain. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...water-plantain/

 

Alisma lanceolatum With.

Syn. A. arcuatum auct.; A. gramineum auct.; A. plantago-aquatica L. ssp. stenophyllum (Asch. & Graebn.) Holmb.; A. plantago-aquatica L. var. stenophyllum Asch. & Graebn.; A. stenophyllum (Asch. & Graebn.) Sam.

NO: Gotlandsvassgro

SE: Gotlandssvalting

DK: Lancet-Skeblad

DE: Lanzettblättriger Froschlöffel

EN: Narrow-leaved Water-plantain; Lanceleaf Water Plantain

 

This is a perennial emergent macrophyte growing in shallow waters of mostly mesotrophic to eutrophic sites. The habitats are often smaller ponds. The distribution is Eurasian. Outside its native range it has been introduced and may sometimes occur as a weed in ricefield paddies or similar wet locations. It can easily be misidentified as the much more common A. plantago-aquatica (Common Water-plantain; Mad-dog Weed) but is easily identified by its narrower blue-green leaves which are tapering at the base, and more pinkish flowers having pointed petals.

 

The flowers are small, pinkish and scattered over a wide inflorescence in which only part of the flowers are open at any time. The petals, 3 in number, are short-lived and fall off easily in windy or rainy weather. At their base there is a yellow patch. There are 6 stamens and numerous carpels in a central whorl. Many smaller insects do visit these flowers .

 

ALIS_LAN_I1106046018_VIS.jpg

Image reference: ALIS_LAN_I1106046018_VIS.jpg

Visible light. Nikon D3S, Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 125 mm f/2.5 lens, daylight.

 

ALIS_LAN_I1106943794_UV.jpg

Image reference: ALIS_LAN_I1106943794_UV.jpg

Ultraviolet light. Nikon D30X, Coastal Optics 60 mm f/4 APO lens, Baader U2" (Venus) filter, SB-140 flash.

 

The petals have large patches of conical cells around their apex, and stripes of these cells are prominent on the petal veins as well under UV light. The abaxial (lower) side of the petals also feature the conical cells, as do the surfaces of the carpels in the flower centre. The yellow basal patch on each petal roughly coincides with a UV-dark mark there.

 

The UV signature of A. lanceolatum is slightly different from that of A. plantago-aquatica (compare with http://www.ultraviol...water-plantain/ to see the differences in anthers and styles).

 

[Published: 18 Jan 2013 Last update 7 Feb 2013]

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