Wolffia australiana
Past favourite plant finalist
Common names
water-meal
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Detailed description
Bright green, minute aquatic summer-green herb without roots. Platelets 0.3-1 mm long, bearing one vegetative bud per platelet, ellipsoidal, dorsal surface weakly convex, the central green part merging into a colourless rounded shoulder; submerged portion much larger than that above water, pale, loosely cellular, more or less semi-circular in side view but laterally compressed. Inflorescence in a cavity opening on upper platelet surface; bearing one male and one female flower united without spathe. Ovule 1. Fruit spherical. Seed smooth with prominent operculum.
Similar taxa
None. Could be confused with Lemna and Landlotia from which it differs by its much smaller size, absence of roots, uniformly green colour without red or purple pigmentation, and by the platelets bearing only one vegetative bud
Distribution
Indigenous. North, South and Chatham Islands. Found throughout the Southern Hemisphere but exact distribution not clear
Habitat
Coastal to lower montane (up to 400 m a.s.l.) in still, fertile, water in sunny situations. Often found in association with Lemna minor L., Landoltia punctata (G.Mey.) Les et D.J.Crawford, Azolla filiculoides Lam., Ricciocarpos natans (L.) Corda and Riccia fluitans L. Easily overlooked.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Wolffia arrhiza var. australiana Benth.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - February
Fruiting
December - April
Propagation technique
Easily grown in a suitable pond, pool or aquarium. During winter it sinks to the bottom sediment, and becomes dormant, returning to surface during warmer weather in late spring and summer.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
OBL: Obligate Wetland
Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
wolffia: Named after Johann Friedrich Wolff, 18th century German botanist and physician
australiana: From the Latin australis meaning southern
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
WOLAUS
Chromosome number
2n = 20, 40
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Moore, L.B.; Edgar, E. 1970: Flora of New Zealand. Vol. II. Government Printer, Wellington.
Attribution
Description adapted from Moore and Edgar (1997).