Wolffia

Wolffia is a genus of 9 to 11 species which include the smallest flowering plants on Earth. Commonly called watermeal, these aquatic plants resemble specks of cornmeal floating on the water. Wolffia species are free-floating thalii, green or yellow-green, and without roots. The flower is produced in a depression on the top surface of the plant body. It has one stamen and one pistil.

Individuals often float together in pairs or form floating mats with related plants, such as Lemna and Spirodela species. Most species have a very wide distribution across several continents. Wolffia species are composed of about 40% protein, about the same as the soybean, making them a potential high-protein human food source. They have historically been collected from the water and eaten as a vegetable in much of Asia.


Species
Wolffia brasiliensis - Brazilian watermeal
Wolffia borealis - northern watermeal
Wolffia globosa - Asian watermeal
Wolffia columbiana - Columbian watermeal
Wolffia arrhiza - spotless watermeal

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It is best known for Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), treated by some botanists as the sole species in the genus.


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