Lemna turionifera

Turion duckweed

Family: Araceae · Type: perennial · Native

Turion duckweed is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, central and southern coastal areas, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert regions in freshwater habitats at elevations below 3,000 meters. Flowering in August, this aquatic plant produces very small, glossy green fronds in clusters of two or three, typically 2 to 5 millimeters long with an elliptical to obovate shape. Growing as a floating aquatic species, it forms dense mats on water surfaces with delicate, shiny green fronds that have a distinctive row of minute bumps along the midline. Its fronds are symmetrical at the base and tip, with an upper surface that is shiny green and a lower surface that is often tinged with reddish coloration. In autumn, the plant develops small winter buds 1 to 2 millimeters long, which are dark green or brown in color.

Habitat: Freshwater

Bloom period: Aug

Elevation: < 3000 m

Bioregions: NW, CaR, SN, SnJV, CW, SCo, PR, GB, D

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.