Back

Pontederia vaginalis Burm.f.

Family Name:	Pontederiaceae
Synonyms:	Eichhornia pauciflora, Gomphima vaginalis, Monochoria vaginalis
Common Name:	Oval-leafed Pondweed, Heartleaf False Pickerelweed

Full Sun

Lots of Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Herb or Spice

Ornamental Flowers

Aquatic

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Aquatic & Hydrophyte (Floating, Emergent, Waterside / Marginal)
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition

Autotrophic

Biogeography

Native Distribution	South Asia, throughout Southeast Asia, extending to China, Japan, Fiji islands and northern Australia
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Riverine)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Growth Form: Extremely variable in height, ranging from 3 to over 50 cm, Monochoria vaginalis is a herbaceous plant that usually grows as an annual but may persist for more than a year in permanent water. Erect, and occasionally creeping, the plant may be emergent or floating in freshwater.Habitat: M. vaginalis is found in habitats, such as in swamps and shallow pools, along ditches and on canal banks. Occurring at up to 1500 m altitude, it is commonest in eutrophic water but also in brackish and oliogotrophic water. It is very often found in rice fields, where the plant is considered a weed that can reduce rice yields considerably if allowed to grow to high population densities.Stem:Creeping or ascending, rarely forming rhizomes.Foliage: Leaves long, linear or lanceolate to ovate in shape, each with petiole up to 50 cm long.Flowers: Flowers are borne on terminal inflorescences that have 2-50 cm long stalks that become strongly deflexed when flowers develop into fruits. Inflorescence stalks terminate with two opposed modified leaves, known as spathes. The dominant lower spathe is leaf-like, linear or lanceolate to ovate or cordate in shape, with a sheath and may enclose the upper spathe. Flowers are bisexual, showy and blue to white in colour, with six stamens (= male reproductive parts of a flower, each consisting of the anther and filament), of which five are yellow, one blue.Flowering takes place in the morning, withering within a day.Fruits: Fruit a capsule that is ellipsoidal to subglobular in shape, that dehisces through the compartments within, containing many seeds. Seeds brown to black in colour, cylindrical to ovoid or subglobular in shape, each with 8-14 longitudinal ribs resembling wings.Following the fertilisation of the inflorescence, the weight of the developing young fruits pulls the structure downwards such that the development of the fruits takes place in water. Seeds subsequently germinate in water as well, upon liberation from the fruit.Cultivation: M. vaginalis may be propagated by seed or from side shoots.Etymology: Monochoria is Greek for “single-membrane”, in reference to the persistent covering of the fruit, while the specific epithet, vaginalis, refers to the sheaths covering the leaf-like spathes of the inflorescences.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves, Edible Flowers, Edible Stems Food (Fruit & Vegetable) (Herb and Spice) Others: Food: M. vaginalis is eaten as a vegetable in southern and eastern Asia. The leaves and stems are cooked before consumption but the inflorescences are sometimes eaten raw in Southeast Asia. Rhizomes of M. vaginalis are eaten in the Philippines, although the plant seldom produces rhizomes. Medicine: Leaves of M. vaginalis are pounded and mixed with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Portulaca pilosa, then applied to boils after they have burst. Juice from the roots is used to treat stomach and liver ailments, as well as asthma and toothache. Juice from the leaves is sometimes used to cure coughs. Other Uses: M. vaginalis is used as an ornamental plant.

Others - Plant Morphology

Growth Form: Extremely variable in height, ranging from 3 to over 50 cm, Monochoria vaginalis is a herbaceous plant that usually grows as an annual but may persist for more than a year in permanent water. Erect, and occasionally creeping, the plant may be emergent or floating in freshwater.Habitat: M. vaginalis is found in habitats, such as in swamps and shallow pools, along ditches and on canal banks. Occurring at up to 1500 m altitude, it is commonest in eutrophic water but also in brackish and oliogotrophic water. It is very often found in rice fields, where the plant is considered a weed that can reduce rice yields considerably if allowed to grow to high population densities.Stem:Creeping or ascending, rarely forming rhizomes.Foliage: Leaves long, linear or lanceolate to ovate in shape, each with petiole up to 50 cm long.Flowers: Flowers are borne on terminal inflorescences that have 2-50 cm long stalks that become strongly deflexed when flowers develop into fruits. Inflorescence stalks terminate with two opposed modified leaves, known as spathes. The dominant lower spathe is leaf-like, linear or lanceolate to ovate or cordate in shape, with a sheath and may enclose the upper spathe. Flowers are bisexual, showy and blue to white in colour, with six stamens (= male reproductive parts of a flower, each consisting of the anther and filament), of which five are yellow, one blue.Flowering takes place in the morning, withering within a day.Fruits: Fruit a capsule that is ellipsoidal to subglobular in shape, that dehisces through the compartments within, containing many seeds. Seeds brown to black in colour, cylindrical to ovoid or subglobular in shape, each with 8-14 longitudinal ribs resembling wings.Following the fertilisation of the inflorescence, the weight of the developing young fruits pulls the structure downwards such that the development of the fruits takes place in water. Seeds subsequently germinate in water as well, upon liberation from the fruit.Cultivation: M. vaginalis may be propagated by seed or from side shoots.Etymology: Monochoria is Greek for “single-membrane”, in reference to the persistent covering of the fruit, while the specific epithet, vaginalis, refers to the sheaths covering the leaf-like spathes of the inflorescences.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves, Edible Flowers, Edible Stems
Food (Fruit & Vegetable) (Herb and Spice)
Others: Food: M. vaginalis is eaten as a vegetable in southern and eastern Asia. The leaves and stems are cooked before consumption but the inflorescences are sometimes eaten raw in Southeast Asia. Rhizomes of M. vaginalis are eaten in the Philippines, although the plant seldom produces rhizomes. Medicine: Leaves of M. vaginalis are pounded and mixed with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Portulaca pilosa, then applied to boils after they have burst. Juice from the roots is used to treat stomach and liver ailments, as well as asthma and toothache. Juice from the leaves is sometimes used to cure coughs. Other Uses: M. vaginalis is used as an ornamental plant.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses	Riverine, Aquarium / Aquascape

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic (Water)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Lots of Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site)

Propagation Method

Seed, Sucker

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Linear)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Herbaceous

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Blue, White
Flowering Period	Free-Flowering

Flowering Opening Time	Daytime
Flower Lifespan on Plant	1 Day
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Black, Brown
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	30140
Species ID	4449
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.

Species record last updated on: 14 October 2021.