Duck Weed - Lemna gibba
Actually its common name embraces several species of small plants (belonging to the Lemnaceae Family) which generally form thick, green floating carpets.
Among these, Lemna gibba is the easiest to recognise because of the humped shape of its floating disk (consisting of the undifferentiated stalk and leaves) due to the abundant white aeriferous tissue underneath.
The plant bears just one rootlet 2-3 centimetres long, suspended in the water. Duckweeds usually grow in mixed populations and are often associated with other plants of the Lamina belt.
As they are free-floating species, they only grow in stagnant water. They usually multiply very quickly by vegetative reproduction, especially in warm and eutrophic waters. The tiny flowers are difficult to see.
These plants are part of the diet of wild ducks and are traditionally mixed with the feed given to domestic ducks, which accounts for their common name of Duckweed.
