Aponogeton (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Aponogeton L.f.

Family: Aponogetonaceae

Major species and synonyms

• Aponogeton lakhonensis A. Camus, synonyms: A. pygmaeus Krause, A. luteus A. Camus, A. monostachyon A. Camus.

• Aponogeton undulatus Roxburgh, synonyms: A. microphyllum Roxburgh, A. stachyosporus de Wit.

Vernacular names

• A. lakhonensis : Cambodia: sbai mung
• Thailand: phakkhuap
• Vietnam: choi, rong, lá liễu.

Distribution

Aponogeton comprises about 40 species of aquatic plants, occurring in Africa (including Madagascar) and South and South-East Asia. A. lakhonensis occurs in India (Assam), Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China (Canton) and Indonesia (Sulawesi); A. undulatus in India, Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.

Uses

The starchy tuberous rhizome of most species is edible and in times of famine can become an important food source. The leaves and inflorescences can be used as a vegetable. Most species are important worldwide as ornamentals for aquaria, e.g. A. undulatus is exported in large quantities from Thailand.

Observations

Perennial aquatic plants with a tuberous, elongate or cylindrical, often branched, rhizome. Leaves submerged or floating, usually with conspicuous main and cross-veins. Inflorescence a long peduncled spadix, emerging above the water surface, composed of 1-11 spikes; flowers often bisexual, with 2 tepals, 6 stamens and 3(-5) ovaries.

• A. lakhonensis : rhizome elongated or obovoid, up to 2 cm in diameter; leaves very variable in shape and size, submerged ones up to 25 cm × 6 cm, floating ones smaller.

• A. undulatus : rhizome elongated, obovoid or globose, up to 2.5 cm in diameter; leaves with long petiole, up to 10-25 cm × 1-4 cm, alternately transparent or opaque in an irregular pattern, with undulating margins; the plant produces runners (resembling peduncles forming young plantlets at the top).

Aponogeton species occur in stagnant and running shallow water, mostly in the lowlands, but up to 1000 m altitude. A. loriae Martelli and A. womersleyi Bruggen occur in Papua New Guinea, A. robinsonii A. Camus (synonym: A. eberhardtii A. Camus) in Vietnam.

Selected sources

22, 24, 37, 49, 79, 81, 88, 89.

Authors

L.E. Groen, J.S. Siemonsma & P.C.M. Jansen