Trapa natans notes

Jotted some notes during water chestnut training - currently early detection is a priority because there is not much spread!

Indigenous to Europe, Asia and Africa
brought to Mass. by water gardeners in 1800s
Rooted - has leaves in two forms, Floating and submerged
the floating leaves are triangular, with toothed margins, the top is glossy, the underside has small hairs, and they are kept afloat with bladders
Nothing was said about the submerged leaves
Flowers are small with 4 petals. They appear in the center of the rosette in mid-July
Fruit is a nutlet with 4 spiny projections. it is able to penetrate shoe leather
Old black nuts float, but are generally not viable. Green to brown nuts are viable.
Report any sighting - fruit or plant!
Stems and Roots - roots are finely branched

It has a high reproductive rate making about 15 nuts per season. Nuts can be viable for 12 years
Even if you pull plants, remaining seeds can propogate so you have to continue to return for many years to eradicate.
No known look-alikes (except mosaic plant!! but that is in a different family so probably flowers and fruits are different too and is not said to be invasive).

Spreads by rosettes breaking apart and attaching to boats. Nutlets can attach to waterfowl who take them to a new location.

Publicado el julio 26, 2021 02:36 TARDE por aphili8 aphili8

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