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Description |
Geographic Range [top]
Range Description: Widespread and common species from Africa to southeast Asia. It has also been recorded in Mexico, central America, Caribbean islands and South America.
Countries occurrence:
Native:
Afghanistan; Angola (Angola); Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland); Bangladesh; Belize; Benin; Bolivia, Plurinational States of; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Central African Republic; Chad; China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hebei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang); Colombia; Comoros; Congo; Costa Rica; Côte dIvoire; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guadeloupe; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; India; Indonesia (Jawa, Kalimantan, Lesser Sunda Is., Maluku, Papua, Sumatera); Jamaica; Kenya; Lao Peoples Democratic Republic; Lesotho; Liberia; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Mali; Martinique; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mexico; Montserrat; Mozambique; Myanmar; Namibia; Nepal; Nicaragua; Niger; Nigeria; Pakistan; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Puerto Rico; Rwanda; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Somalia; South Africa (Eastern Cape Province, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal); South Sudan; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Suriname; Swaziland; Taiwan, Province of China; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Togo; Uganda; United States (Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas); Uruguay; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Viet Nam; Virgin Islands, British; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Additional data:
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.
Population [top]
Population: Members of this species are very common weeds of waterways, sometimes obliterating water bodies. It is widespread in rivers, lakes and ponds of temperate well as tropical climates. Considered as invasive in many countries.
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Additional data:
? Continuing decline of mature individuals: Yes
? Population severely fragmented: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology [top]
Habitat and Ecology: It is a free-floating plant that is capable of forming dense mats on the surfaces of lakes, ponds, rivers and other water bodies.
Systems: Freshwater
Use and Trade [top]
Use and Trade: In China, this plant is cultivated for animal feed and is used to treat swelling and urinary tract infections. The paste of leaves, served to cattle, causes lactation to their mammary glands and increases milk quantity. It has also ornamental use as aquarium plant. Used as fuel, as a source for the production of methane gas. It has potential to be used as animal fodder.
Threats [top]
Major Threat(s): Rather than facing any major threats this plant, where it has been introduced, can pose a threat to native species.
Conservation Actions [top]
Conservation Actions: No conservation measures in place or needed.
Citation: Gupta, A.K. 2011. Pistia stratiotes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2011: e.T168937A6551772. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-1.RLTS.T168937A6551772.en. Downloaded on 08 November 2016.
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