Hydrocharis Explained

Hydrocharis is a genus of aquatic plants in the family Hydrocharitaceae described as a genus by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.^{[1] [2]} It is widespread across much of Europe and Asia, plus a few scattered locations in Africa.^{[3] [4] [5]} It is also reportedly naturalized in parts of North America.^{[6] [7] [8]}

The best known species is Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, commonly called common frogbit or European frog's-bit, and occasionally water-poppy. The name "American frogbit" refers to another aquatic plant, Limnobium spongia.

Three species are recognised:

• Hydrocharis chevalieri (De Wild.) Dandy – Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Hydrocharis dubia (Blume) Backer – Primorsky Krai, China, Japan, Korea, Indian subcontinent, SE Asia, New Guinea
• Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L. – Europe, Siberia, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Kazakhstan

Notes and References

1. http://www.botanicus.org/page/359057 Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 1036
2. Web site: Tropicos Name - !Hydrocharis L.. www.tropicos.org. 2017-01-31.
3. Web site: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. apps.kew.org. en. 2017-01-31.
4. Web site: Hydrocharis morsus-ranae [Morso di rana]]. luirig.altervista.org. it. 2017-01-31.
5. Web site: Hydrocharis in Flora of China @ efloras.org. www.efloras.org. 2017-01-31.
6. Web site: Hydrocharis in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. www.efloras.org. 2017-01-31.
7. Cook, C. D. K. and R. Lüönd. 1982. A revision of the genus Hydrocharis (Hydrocharitaceae). Aquatic Botany 14: 177--204.
8. Roberts, M. L., R. L. Stuckey, and R. S. Mitchell. 1981. Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Hydrocharitaceae) new to the United States. Rhodora 83: 147--148.