Najas marina
L.
Hydrocharitaceae
Ittnera major (All.) C.C.Gmel.
Ittnera najas C.C.Gmel.
Najas fluviatilis Poir.
Najas fucoides Griff.
Najas gracilis (Morong) Small
Najas intermedia Gorski
Najas laevis Lojac.
Najas latifolia A.Braun
Najas latior F.Muell. ex K.Schum.
Najas major All.
Najas maritima Pall.
Najas microcarpa (A.Braun) Bolle ex Christ
Najas monosperma Willd.
Najas muricata Thuill.
Najas polonica Zalewski
Najas tetrasperma Willd.
Common Name: Spiny Naiad
Plant growing in native habitat
Photograph by: Panek
General Information
Spiny naiad is an aquatic, herbaceous, perennial plant. A variable plant that grows entirely under water, its bright to pale green foliage is produced on stems up to 80cm long[
].
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild and used for food. It is sold in local markets in Hawaii.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
Cosmopolitan, found in most areas of the world, but absent from colder regions.
Habitat
Fresh or brackish water[
50- Title
- Flora Europaea
- Publication
-
- Author
- ?
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1964
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
]. Ponds, lakes and slowly-moving rivers at elevations up to 2,700 metres in China[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Brackish or highly alkaline waters of ponds and lakes to 1,000 metres in America[
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.50 m |
| Pollinators | Water |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of the tropical to temperate zones.
A submerged water plant, succeeding in shallow fresh or brackish water[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The plant has brittle stems that break easily, but can then produce roots and develop into a new plant[
]. It has spread to most areas of the world, where it forms dense mats that choke out other species. It is one of the few species of aquatic weeds capable of colonizing brackish waters (between fresh and salt water)[
].
This is one of the few genera of plants where fertilization takes place under the surface of the water[
274- Title
- Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J
- Website
- http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
- Publisher
- Botanical Research Institute, Texas.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 1-889878-01-4
- Description
- An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required[
274- Title
- Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas
- Publication
-
- Author
- Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J
- Website
- http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
- Publisher
- Botanical Research Institute, Texas.
- Year
- 1999
- ISBN
- 1-889878-01-4
- Description
- An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
].
Edible Uses
Young plant - raw[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
105- Title
- Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
- Publisher
- Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in situ as soon as it is ripe if this is possible. Otherwise store the seed in water in a cool place and sow it in situ in the spring.
Division in the growing season[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
