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Useful Tropical Plants

Ottelia alismoides

(L.) Pers.

Hydrocharitaceae

+ Synonyms

Boottia alata Gagnep.

Boottia bodinieri (H.Lév. & Vaniot) H.Lév. & Vaniot

Boottia lanceolata Gagnep.

Boottia thorelii Gagnep.

Damasonium alismoides (L.) R.Br.

Damasonium indicum Willd.

Damasonium javanicum Blume

Damasonium lactucifolium Planch.

Damasonium lancifolium C.Presl

Damasonium timorense Zipp. ex Span.

Damasonium tranquebariense Schult.f.

Hydrocharis bodinieri H.Lév. & Vaniot

Hymenotheca latifolia Salisb.

Ottelia alata (Gagnep.) H.Li

Ottelia bodinieri (H.Lév. & Vaniot) Dandy

Ottelia condorensis Gagnep.

Ottelia dioecia S.Z.Yan

Ottelia ensiformis Blanco

Ottelia hoffmeisteri Klotzsch

Ottelia indica (Willd.) Planch. ex Dalzell & A.Gibson

Ottelia japonica Miq.

Ottelia javanica (Blume) Voigt

Ottelia lactucifolia (Planch.) Walp.

Ottelia lanceolata (Gagnep.) Dandy

Ottelia philippinensis Ostenf.

Ottelia thorelii (Gagnep.) Dandy

Stratiotes alismoides L.

Stratiotes quinquealatus Stokes

Common Name: Duck Lettuce

Ottelia alismoides
Flowering plant growing in shallow water with the leaves emerging
Photograph by: J.M.Garg
Creative Commons License
Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides Ottelia alismoides

General Information

Ottelia alismoides is a partly or fully submerged freshwater plant. A cluster of leaves are produced from a fibrous root system - these leaves can be very variable, with a petiole that can vary greatly in length depending upon the depth of water the plant is growing in. The leaves are usually submerged, except in very shallow water, but the flowers float when open, usually sinking below the surface after fertilization[
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.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown in ponds, where it helps to keep the water clear, and is also sometimes grown as an aquarium plant[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Ottelia alismoides is widely distributed in north-eastern Africa, eastern and southeast Asia and the tropical regions of Australia. It has a large distribution area and is considered invasive in some countries. While it is possibly declining in parts of its range it is not thought that global population decline is likely to qualify the species for any threatened category The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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.
,
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, through southeast Asia to Philippines to New Guinea, Australia, Solomons

Habitat

Common in stagnant water, lakes and slow moving streams, often growing gregariously in shallow water; at elevations up to 700 metres, occasionally to 1,000 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.00 m
PollinatorsInsects, Self
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details



The plant is often regarded locally as a troublesome aquatic weed and removed manually[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Edible Uses

The petioles and tender leaves are eaten as a vegetable - they have an excellent flavour[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
The leaves are used in Thailand for seasoning rice[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The fruit is edible[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. It is sought after by children[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are antibacterial, febrifuge and rubefacient[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
]. The plant is used in the topical treatment of haemorrhoids, and is applied to the arms and legs as a poultice against fever[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

In clinical trials, an extract of the plant cured two cases of bilateral tuberculosis of the cervical lymph glands within 3 months. The results suggest that the plant is a promising medicinal herb with an anti-tubercular effect[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].
A study isolated the compounds otteliones A and B from the plant. These compounds showed a remarkable in vitro cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines[
360
Title
Philippine Medicinal Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.stuartxchange.org/CompleteList.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A lovely site, giving brief details on the medicinal uses of several hundred (over 400 at the last count) plants in the Philippines, plus a picture of each plant.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plants are used to improve the water quality in ponds by capturing floating mud particles[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-01. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ottelia+alismoides>

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