Vallisneria (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Vallisneria L.

Family: Hydrocharitaceae

Major species and synonyms

• Vallisneria natans (Loureiro) Hara, synonym: V. gigantea Graebner.

• Vallisneria spiralis L.

Vernacular names

• Eelgrass, tapegrass (En)
• Indonesia: rumput belut
• Philippines: sintas-sintasan, sabotan-buwaya (Tagalog), balaiba (Ilocano), mariw-bariw (Bicol)
• Thailand: santawa-baikhao (central), santawa-khonkai (southern)
• Vietnam: rong mái chèo, (rong) tóc tiên.

Distribution

Tropics and subtropics and warmer parts of the temperate regions of the world.

Uses

Young leaves can be eaten cooked or raw. Also widely used as an ornamental in aquariums.

Observations

V. natans: Herbaceous, submerged aquatic plant. Leaves ribbon-like, up to 2 m long, 0.5-2 cm broad, margins faintly dentate, 5-9-nerved.

V. spiralis: Similar to V. natans but leaves narrower, up to 1 cm broad, entire and always 5-nerved.

In fresh, shallow, quiet or slow-running water up to 300 m altitude. Often growing in dense vegetations. The species have not yet been properly defined for easy distinction.

Selected sources

13, 68, 91.