Ottelia ulvifolia
(Planch.) Walp.
Water lettuce
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Thomas C. Wagner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Thomas C. Wagner
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Robert Taylor, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Robert Taylor
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Riana Fourie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Riana Fourie
Description
A herb that grows in water. It keeps growing from year to year. The leaves are under the water. They are 30 cm long by 6 cm wide. The leaves let light through. The flowers are yellow or white and are above the water.
Edible Uses
The leaves, fruit, and seeds are edible and used as vegetables.
Distribution
A tropical plant. It grows in moving water throughout West Africa.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo, East Africa, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
Notes
There are about 40 Ottelia species. They grow in the tropics.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Kumubu, Kunto, M'kopo, Pruia, Sobaba, Yi ba bo, Yi-sasa
References (13)
- Ann. Bot. 3:510. 1853 "ulvaefolia"
- Burkill, H. M., 1985, The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 2. Kew.
- Dalziel, J. M., 1937, The Useful plants of west tropical Africa. Crown Agents for the Colonies London.
- Fowler, D. G., 2007, Zambian Plants: Their Vernacular Names and Uses. Kew. p 86
- Gallagher, D. E., 2010, Farming beyond the escarpment: Society, Environment, and Mobility in Precolonial Southeastern Burkina Faso. PhD University of Michigan.
Show all 13 references Hide references
- Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 563
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2. p 92, 151 and p 46 (As Ottelia lancifolia)
- Mutie, F. M., et al, 2023, Important Medicinal and Food Taxa (Orders and Families) in Kenya, Based on Three Quantitative Approaches. Plants 2023, 12, 1145
- Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 31
- Razanameharizaka, J., et al, 2022, Catalogue Legumes Traditionnels de Madagascar. Université d’Antananarivo, Antananarivo (101), Madagascar. Vol. 1. p 45
- Romanowski, N., 2007, Edible Water Gardens. Hyland House. p 112
- Swaziland's Flora Database http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora
- World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
