Print Report

CEGL003305 Lemna minor Aquatic Vegetation

Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Common Duckweed Aquatic Vegetation

Colloquial Name: No Data Available

Hierarchy Level:  Association

Type Concept: Habitat is seasonal to perennial pools, ponds, lakes, and sloughs, usually at lower elevations. This association forms bright green floating mats on the surface of the water, usually growing so dense that no open water is visible. Lemna needs open water to proliferate in winter and spring, but it tolerates being stranded on mudflats when ponds and pools dry out in summer. Other small floating species are common components of this association, particularly Spirodela polyrrhiza, Azolla, Wolffia, and the aquatic liverworts Ricciocarpos natans and Riccia fluitans, but they are always subordinate to Lemna. All of these species can survive stranding on mud but cannot survive complete desiccation. It is not clear if this association is enhanced by eutrophic conditions caused by enriched runoff in agricultural or urban landscapes.

Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This association may not be needed, but the states/provinces of record are low in Lemna diversity. Range should not be expanded; see instead ~Lemna spp. Western North American Aquatic Vegetation (CEGL005450)$$, ~Lemna spp. Eastern North American Aquatic Vegetation (CEGL005451)$$, and ~Lemna spp. North American Boreal Aquatic Vegetation (CEGL005452)$$.

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available

Floristics: No Data Available

Dynamics:  No Data Available
Environmental Description:  No Data Available
Geographic Range: This association is found from California to Alaska and eastward.

Nations: US

States/Provinces:  OR, WA


Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 5 Aquatic Vegetation Class C05 5
Subclass 5.B Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Subclass S13 5.B
Formation 5.B.2 Temperate to Polar Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Formation F057 5.B.2
Division 5.B.2.Na North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Division D049 5.B.2.Na
Macrogroup 5.B.2.Na.2 Rocky Mountain Pond-lily - Pacific Mosquito Fern - Western Waterweed Western North American Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Macrogroup M109 5.B.2.Na.2
Group 5.B.2.Na.2.a Pond-lily species - Pondweed species - Duckweed species Freshwater Aquatic Vegetation Group G544 5.B.2.Na.2.a
Alliance A1747 Common Duckweed - Northern Watermeal - Columbian Watermeal Aquatic Vegetation Alliance A1747 5.B.2.Na.2.a
Association CEGL003305 Common Duckweed Aquatic Vegetation CEGL003305 5.B.2.Na.2.a
Concept Lineage: No Data Available

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Lemna (minor) Provisional Association (Buck-Diaz et al. 2012)
= Lemna minor Association (Christy 2004)
= Lemna minor (Murray 2000)
= Lemna minor (McCain and Christy 2005) [2 plots]
= Lemna minor community type (Kunze 1994)
Concept Author(s): J.A. Christy (2004)

Author of Description: J.A. Christy (2004)

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 10-01-02
  • Buck-Diaz, J., S. Batiuk, and J. M. Evens. 2012. Vegetation alliances and associations of the Great Valley ecoregion, California. California Native Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://cnps.org/cnps/vegetation/pdf/great_valley_eco-vegclass2012.pdf]
  • Christy, J. A. 2004. Native freshwater wetland plant associations of northwestern Oregon. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Oregon State University, Portland, OR.
  • Kagan, J. S., E. M. Nielsen, M. D. Noone, J. C. van Warmerdam, L. K. Wise, G. Kittel, and C. Copass. 2012. Lewis and Clark National Historic Park vegetation classification and mapping project report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/597. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Kagan, J. S., J. A. Christy, M. P. Murray, and J. A. Titus. 2004. Classification of native vegetation of Oregon. January 2004. Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center, Portland. 52 pp.
  • Kunze, L. M. 1994. Preliminary classification of native, low elevation, freshwater wetland vegetation in western Washington. Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. 120 pp.
  • McCain, C., and J. A. Christy. 2005. Field guide to riparian plant communities in northwestern Oregon. Technical Paper R6-NR-ECOL-TP-01-05. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Portland. 357 pp.
  • Murray, M. P. 2000. Wetland plant associations of the western hemlock zone in the central coastal and westslope Cascade Mountains. Unpublished report, Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland, OR. 82 pp. [http://www.natureserve.org/nhp/us/or/nw_or_wetlands.pdf]
  • NRCS [Natural Resources Conservation Service]. 2004a. Soil survey of Saratoga County, New York. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. 590 pp.
  • Rodwell, J. S., editor. 1995a. British plant communities. Volume 4. Aquatic communities, swamps and tall-herb fens. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 283 pp.
  • Titus, J. H., J. A. Christy, D. Vander Schaaf, J. S. Kagan, and E. R. Alverson. 1996. Native wetland, riparian, and upland plant communities and their biota in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Report to the Environmental Protection Agency, Region X, Seattle, WA. Willamette Basin Geographic Initiative. Oregon Natural Heritage Program, The Nature Conservancy, Portland, OR.
  • WNHP [Washington Natural Heritage Program]. 2018. Unpublished data files. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA.
  • Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.