''Lemna minuta'' is a species of

duckweed Lemnoideae is a subfamily of flowering aquatic plants, known as duckweeds, water lentils, or water lenses. They float on or just beneath the surface of still or slow-moving bodies of fresh water and wetlands. Also known as bayroot, they arose ...

known by the common name least duckweed. It is the smallest ''Lemna'' species. It is native to parts of the Americas, and

naturalized Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...

in others; the exact native range is not known. It is found on other continents as a non-native introduction as well. The plant's distribution is ever-expanding; it has been spreading in Europe and it was described from Poland for the first time in 2007.Banaszek, A. and K. Musiał. (2009)
The new kenophyte in Poland - ''Lemna minuta'' Humb., Bonpl., & Kunth
. ''Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae'' 78:1 69-72 In many areas it is a

noxious weed A noxious weed, harmful weed or injurious weed is a weed that has been designated by an agricultural or other governing authority as a plant that is injurious to agricultural or horticultural crops, natural habitats or ecosystems, or humans or liv ...

, such as in Belgium.Invasive Alien Species in Belgium: ''Lemna minuta''
/ref> This tiny plant varies in shape depending on growth conditions. In the shade it is a single green translucent oval body no more than 2.5 millimeters long, and in full sunlight it generally grows in pairs. There is a central vein usually visible under

magnification Magnification is the process of enlarging the apparent size, not physical size, of something. This enlargement is quantified by a calculated number also called "magnification". When this number is less than one, it refers to a reduction in siz ...

and

microscopy Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of micr ...

. The plant produces an ephemeral membrane-bound flower. This duckweed grows in slow-moving, calm, and stagnant

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

habitats. It affects the ecology of its habitat by forming mats on the water surface, reducing sunlight penetration and oxygen exchange.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment
an
Flora of North America
Lemnoideae Freshwater plants Flora of North America Flora of South America Plants described in 1816 {{Araceae-stub