Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Description: Leaves (90 cm long) of this species are bluish green and linear,
narrow, and sword shaped. Flowers are bright yellow or cream colored and
are 7-10 cm wide.
Compounds and activities: The ethanol extract of leaves of this species has
been reported to possess activities against the larvae of mosquito spp., viz.,
Culex pipiens
and
Aedes caspius
, which are vectors of Japanese encepha-
litis and malaria, respectively. The 24 h LC
50
values of these species are
10.36 and 16.43 mg/l, respectively. The isolavonoids of this species pos-
sess antimicrobial activities inhibiting the growth of pathogens (Small and
Catling, 1999).
OH
O
O
OH
HO
isoflavonoids
PISTIA STRATIOTES
LINNAEUS
Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida
Order: Alismatales Family: Araceae
Common name: Water cabbage, water lettuce
Distribution: All tropical and subtropical countries
Habitat: Freshwater ways, rivers, lakes, ponds
Description: This perennial monocot plant has thick and soft leaves that form
a rosette. While the leaves are loating on the surface of the water, the roots
are hanging and submerged below the loating leaves. The leaves (15 cm
long) are light green with wavy margins. The lowers are dioceous. This
plant may also reproduce by asexual methods.
