Water caltrop

Trapa natans

Water caltrop is a unique plant that grows in water. It has interesting, nut-like fruits that look like little horns. These fruits float on the water's surface and can be fun to spot!

Hábitat: Wetlands

Aspecto

The Water caltrop has distinctive triangular, serrated leaves that form a dense, floating rosette on the water's surface. Its unique, four-horned, woody fruit is dark brown to black and looks somewhat like a bat's head. Small, white flowers emerge from the leaf axils.

ReinoPlantaeFiloTracheophytaClaseMagnoliopsidaOrdenMyrtalesFamiliaLythraceaeGéneroTrapa

Water caltrop

Categoría

Plantas

Rareza

Common

Peligro

2/5 · Bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

Ancient people in Europe gathered Water caltrop fruits as a food source!

Its bizarre, horned fruit is sometimes called a 'devil pod' or 'bat nut'!

The spiky seeds can stay viable underwater for more than twelve years!

This plant can remove excess nutrients, helping to clean pond water!

Habilidades especiales

Water caltrop has buoyant, air-filled leaf stalks that keep its diamond-shaped leaves afloat, ensuring they capture maximum sunlight.

Water caltrop produces incredibly tough, spiky fruits that sink to the bottom, protecting its seeds until they can sprout next season.

Water caltrop can extend long, submerged stems to anchor itself in water depths up to five meters, helping it survive varying conditions.

Medidas y detalles

Altura: 30-500 cm
Extensión: 15-30 cm
Tamaño de la flor: 0.8-1 cm
Temporada de floración: Verano
Comestible: Sí
Toxicidad: Ninguna
Ciclo de vida: Anual
Método de polinización: Autopolinización

Conexiones ecológicas

eaten by

Mallard duck

Anas platyrhynchos

Ducks eat the floating seeds and leaves.

eaten by

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

Fish graze on submerged stems and associated organisms.

shelters

Yellow Perch

Perca flavescens

Young fish find protection within its dense leaf mats.

Rasgos

Ornamental

Las plantas ornamentales se cultivan principalmente por su atractivo estético, embelleciendo paisajes y jardines con su atractivo follaje, flores o forma.

Frutal

Las plantas frutales producen frutos, que son los ovarios maduros de las plantas con flores que contienen semillas.

Productor de nueces

Las plantas que producen nueces dan frutos de cáscara dura, comúnmente conocidos como frutos secos o nueces, que contienen una sola semilla y son una valiosa fuente de alimento.

Comestible

Las plantas comestibles son aquellas partes de una planta que se consideran seguras para el consumo humano.

Humedal

Este rasgo de hábitat identifica especies que se encuentran en humedales, que son áreas de tierra saturadas de agua, ya sea permanente o estacionalmente, e incluyen marismas, pantanos y ciénagas.