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Common name: Water Hyacinth, Kabokkang (Manipuri), African Paayal
(Malayalam)
Botanical name: Eichornia crassipes Family: Pontederiaceae (pickerelweed family)
Water hyacinth, a member of the pickerelweed family, is a
floating plant which can be grown indoors or outside. In a glass container you
can see the attractive purple roots. The plants vary in size from a few
centimeters to over a meter in height. The glossy green, leathery leaf blades
are up to 20 cm long and 5-15 cm wide and are attached to petioles that are
often spongy-inflated. Numerous dark, branched, fibrous roots dangle in the
water from the underside of the plant. The inflorescence is a loose terminal
spike with showy light-blue to violet flowers (flowers occasionally white)
Each flower has 6 bluish-purple petals joined at the base to form a short
tube. One petal bears a yellow spot.
Identification credit: R. Sumathi
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