Limnobium laevigatum (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Heine

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Photo: Mark Hyde
Lake Chivero, by Jacana Yacht Club

Photo: Philip Weyl
Charara Bay, near banana plantation

Photo: Mark Hyde
Mukuvisi Woodland, by Chiraura River

Photo: Tracey Couto
On the Gwebi river near Komani Flying Club

Photo: Ephraim Nyaganga
Upper Ume River, near Redcliffs, Lake Kariba

Photo: Ephraim Nyaganga
Harava Dam, near Chitungwiza

Photo: Ian Riddell
Mana Pools National Park

Photo: Mark Hyde
Garden of 12, Zimre Way, Mandara, Harare

Photo: Mark Hyde
Kuimba Shiri Bird Park, Lake Chivero

Photo: Petra Ballings
Umguza river, Umguza Nature Reserve, Bulawayo.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Umguza river, Umguza Nature Reserve, Bulawayo.

Photo: Benjamin Miller
Borrowdale Brooke, Harare.

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Hydromystria laevigata (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Díaz.-Mir. & Philcox Salvinia laevigata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
Common names:	Amazon frogbit (English) West indian sponge-plant (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Aquatic herb. Young leaves subcircular, floating, hairless and glossy above, with a thick layer of air-filled spongy tissue beneath; base rounded or shallowly cordate. More mature plants have clustered larger leaves that are held more erect above the water surface on long petioles.
Notes:	There are as yet no records of this species from Mozambique. However, it is very well established along the Zambezi, as may be seen from this map. In November 2023, both floating and rooted instances of this plant were found in Zimbabwe near Kanyemba a few kilometres upstream of the Mozambique border; this species will certainly have spread into Mozambique at least in the Cabora Bassa area.
Derivation of specific name:	laevigatum: smooth
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Scattered through northern Venezuela, Central Mexico, Central America, West Indies and South America, except Chile.
Mozambique distribution:
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Howard, G.W., Hyde, M.A. & Bingham, M.G. (2016). Alien Limnobium laevigatum (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Heine (Hydrocharitaceae) becoming prevalent in Zimbabwe and Zambia BioInvasions Records 5(4) Pages 221 - 225. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Limnobium laevigatum:

Our websites:

Flora of Zambia: Limnobium laevigatum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Limnobium laevigatum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Limnobium laevigatum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Limnobium laevigatum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Limnobium laevigatum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Limnobium laevigatum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Limnobium laevigatum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Limnobium laevigatum
JSTOR Plant Science: Limnobium laevigatum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Limnobium laevigatum
Plants of the World Online: Limnobium laevigatum
Tropicos: Limnobium laevigatum
Wikipedia: Limnobium laevigatum