Ludwigia is a genus of about 75 species of aquatic plant

Aquatic plant

Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...

s with a cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan distribution

In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...

 but mainly tropical distribution.

Selected species

Ludwigia adscendens Ludwigia alata Ludwigia alternifolia Ludwigia alternifolia Ludwigia alternifolia, commonly known as Bushy seedbox and Rattlebox, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae.Its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.... Ludwigia anastomosans Ludwigia anastomosans Ludwigia anastomosans is a species of plant in the Onagraceae family. It is endemic to Brazil.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007.... Ludwigia arcuata Ludwigia bonariensis Ludwigia brevipes Ludwigia curtissii Ludwigia decurrens Ludwigia erecta Ludwigia glandulosa Ludwigia grandiflora Ludwigia helminthorrhiza Ludwigia helminthorrhiza Ludwigia helminthorrhiza, known commonly as Bushy seedbox and Rattlebox, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to south Mexico and South America, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.-External links:... Ludwigia hirtella Ludwigia hexapetala Ludwigia hexapetala The Water Primrose, Ludwigia hexapetala, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. Native to Central and South America, its habitat includes the margins of lakes, ponds, ditches, and streams. Its stems may be immersed or fully emergent. It is a noxious invader of aquatic ecosystems... Ludwigia hyssopifolia Ludwigia inclinata Ludwigia inclinata A highly variable herb from Central and South America, Ludwigia inclinata is usually found growing emersed or submersed in and around stagnant or moving bodies of water. The verticellate forms, of which several are known, are among the most highly prized aquarium plants in the trade. They include... Ludwigia lanceolata Ludwigia leptocarpa Ludwigia linearis

Ludwigia linifolia Ludwigia longifolia Ludwigia maritima Ludwigia microcarpa Ludwigia natans Ludwigia octovalvis Ludwigia palustris Ludwigia palustris Ludwigia palustris is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names marsh seedbox and water purslane. Its native distribution is unclear, but includes parts of the Americas; it can be found on most continents and spreads easily to become naturalized. It is... Ludwigia peploides Ludwigia peploides Ludwigia peploides is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common names floating primrose-willow and creeping water primrose. It is native to many parts of the Americas, but it can be found on many continents and spreads easily to become naturalized... Ludwigia peruviana Ludwigia pilosa Ludwigia polycarpa Ludwigia ravenii Ludwigia repens Ludwigia repens Ludwigia repens is a species of flowering plant in the evening primrose family known by the common name creeping primrose willow. It is native to parts of the Americas and it has the potential to spread easily and become naturalized in many areas. It is known as an aquatic weed in some regions. It... Ludwigia sedioides Ludwigia sedioides Ludwigia sedioides, commonly known as Mosaic flower and False loosestrife, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the family Onagraceae. It has yellow flowers that bloom from June to August. Native to Brazil and Venezuela, its habitat includes wet, swampy localities.... Ludwigia simpsonii Ludwigia spathulata Ludwigia sphaerocarpa Ludwigia suffruticosa Ludwigia virgata

At current, there is much debate among botanists and plant taxonomists as to the classification of many Ludwigia species. Botanists from the US Department of Agriculture are currently doing genetic analyses on plants from the Western US and South America to better classify members of this genus.

The genus was named by Carolus Linnaeus

Carolus Linnaeus

Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...

 after Christian Gottlieb Ludwig

Christian Gottlieb Ludwig

Christian Gottlieb Ludwig was a German physician and botanist who was born in Brzeg, Silesia. He was the father of Christian L...

(1709-1773), a German botanist, who was apparently not amused by this honour.

External resources

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=13118
• http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=27334
• http://www.pondplants.com/FAQ_Plants_Ludwigia.html