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Pistia stratiotes L.
Water-lettuce

Pistia stratiotes
Copyright by: Chuck McCartney

Family: Araceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Freshwater Aquatic

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Widespread in North America, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Old World.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Secure

FLEPPC Status: Category I Invasive

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Previously reported as a non-native weed in Florida, we now believe that this species is a native component of our flora. We are now editing the site accounts in the database to reflect this change.

For more information and images, visit Florida Invasive Plant Species Mobile Field Guide (FLIP).

Other data on Pistia stratiotes available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Pistia stratiotes has been found in the following 24 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Allapattah Flats Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Native
Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve Present Native
Caloosahatchee Regional Park Present Native
Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Present Native
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Present Native
Cypress Knee Slough Preserve Present Native
Delray Beach, Lake Ida parcel Present Native
Dupuis Reserve Present Native
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park Present Native
Fern Forest Nature Center Present Native
Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Hickey Creek Mitigation Park Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Native
Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area Present Native
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Native
Lake Okeechobee Marshes Present Native
Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center Present Native
Nicodemus Slough Present Native
Picayune Strand State Forest Present Native
Pond Apple Slough Natural Area Present Native
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Present Native
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve Present Native

Pistia stratiotes has been found in the following 9 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Native
Collier County Native
Glades County Native
Hendry County Native
Lee County Native
Martin County Native
Miami-Dade County Native
Monroe County (Mainland) Native
Palm Beach County Native

Pistia stratiotes has been found in the following 9 habitats :
Blackwater Stream
Disturbed Wetland
Dome Swamp
Flatwoods/Prairie Lake
Floodplain Swamp
Marsh Lake
Slough
Strand Swamp
Swamp Lake

All Images:

Pistia stratiotes
Copyright by: Chuck McCartney
Pistia stratiotes
Copyright by: Chuck McCartney
Pistia stratiotes
Copyright by: Roger L. Hammer
Pistia stratiotes
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley