Pistia sp.
Water-lettuce, Water-Lettuce
Family: Araceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Pistia sp. (Water-lettuce) is a non-native California perennial in the Araceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Ludwigia: Pistia floats as rosettes; Ludwigia grows rooted with stems rising above water.; vs Pontederia: Pistia has velvety wedge-shaped leaves in rosettes; Pontederia has glossy heart-shaped leaves on stems.; vs Zantedeschia: Pistia is a tiny floating rosette; Zantedeschia is a large terrestrial plant near gardens.; vs Arum: Pistia is a tiny floating rosette; Arum is a terrestrial plant with arrow-shaped leaves.; vs Lysichiton: Pistia is a tiny floating rosette in warm water; Lysichiton is huge with yellow hood in cold marshes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pistia sp. native to California?
No. Pistia sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Pistia sp. belong to?
Pistia sp. is in the Araceae family, genus Pistia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.