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Hottonia inflata

Hottonia inflata Elliott

American Featherfoil, Featherfoil

Primulaceae (Primrose Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: HOIN

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

An aquatic with several thick, hollow, inflated, upright stalks emerging from water and bearing tiny, greenish-white flowers in terminal clusters and in circles at stalk joints.

The unusual appearance of this floating aquatic plant is due to the 1/2" (1.5 cm) thick, inflated flower stalks that are constricted at the joints and essentially leafless. Plants appear in great abundance for a season and then completely vanish for as many as seven or eight years before appearing again.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Leaf Complexity: Pinnate
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 inches tall, stems often submersed.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , WV
Native Distribution: Maine south to Georgia, west to Texas, and north to Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
Native Habitat: Pools, ditches, swamps, and stagnant ponds; usually in more than 1' (30 cm) of water.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Hottonia inflata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Hottonia inflata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hottonia inflata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-03
Research By: TWC Staff

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