The aquatic plant Heteranthera limosa is a member of the water hyacinth family

Pontederiaceae

Pontederiaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants.The APG II system, of 2003 places the family in the order Commelinales, in the commelinid clade, in the monocots. It is a small family of heterostylous aquatic plants, occurring in tropical and subtropical waters...

 known by the common names ducksalad and blue mudplantain. It is considered a threatened species in parts of the central United States, and an invasive species

Invasive species

"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....

  weed in California, where it is a nuisance in rice paddies

Paddy field

A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...

. It is also occasional in Florida waterways.

Description

The plant grows either in water or on moist ground. The plant has thick, spade-shaped green leaves that may be above or below the water surface. Its blue or purple flowers have six narrow petals. These petals may be ground into a paste that is similar to aloe vera, soothing to wounds and burns. The paste does however have a mild neurotoxicity in large quantities that is negligible in small wound applications.

External links

• Ducksalad as Aquatic Weed
• USDA Plants Profile
• eFloras
• Jepson Manual Treatment