''Hottonia palustris'', also water violet or featherfoil, is an
aquatic plant in the family
Primulaceae
The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the evening primrose family), are a family of herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants and wildflowers. Most are perennial though som ...
.
Description
The plant has a stem reaching up to in height. Its basal roots are buried in the underlying mud, while other silvery, shiny roots dangle freely in the water. The leaves are deeply divided as far as the central vein, like the teeth of a double comb, and are completely submerged, but can surface after a drastic fall in water level. The leaves are
alternate
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film
* ''The Alternative ...
or connected to the stem in more or less regular
whorls. The flowers are
hermaphrodite and pollinated by insects and
cleistogamy
Cleistogamy is a type of automatic self-pollination of certain plants that can propagate by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers. Especially well known in peanuts, peas, and pansies, this behavior is most widespread in the grass family. How ...
; they appear from May to June. The plant is self-fertile.
Distribution
Featherfoil is found in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
and northern
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
. The species epithet ''palustris'' is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.
[Archibald William Smith ]
Cultivation
Naturally a
bog or
marsh
A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
plant, most specimens sold have been grown emersed and must be submerged in stages in the aquarium to encourage them to adapt and form submerse leaves. Featherfoil can be kept in a cool or tropical aquarium. A good substrate, light and, if possible, additional CO
2 are beneficial. It can be grown in or around ponds, for which it is considered a good oxygenator. Its bushy leaves provide protection for fish and
fry. It can grow floating as well, or exposed to sun.
References
Further reading
* Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. and Warburg, E.F. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
* Bowler, P., 2002, Water Violet, British Wildlife, Volume 13, No 5: 325 (Colour photograph)
External links
Natural England: ''Hottonia palustris''BBC Gardening: ''Hottonia palustris''
TRopica web site
Primulaceae
Aquatic plants
Flora of Europe
Flora of temperate Asia
Medicinal plants of Europe
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
{{Primulaceae-stub