Ludwigia sphaerocarpa T/C CUP

Here are the key details for Ludwigia sphaerocarpa, a perennial herb native to the central and eastern United States.

For a quick overview, here are its main characteristics:

 Physical Description

• Stems and Leaves: The plant is often much-branched above and can be smooth or finely hairy . Leaves are alternate and narrow, ranging from lance-shaped to nearly linear. Main stem leaves are larger (up to 10 cm long), while those on branches are smaller .

• Flowers: The small flowers are distinct because they completely lack petals. The four sepals are yellowish and persist around the fruit .

• Fruit: Its most notable feature is the fruit, which is a small, hairy, subglobose (nearly round) capsule, about 2.5–4 mm wide. This globe-like shape is what gives the plant its common name .

• Adaptations: When the base of the plant is submerged in water, it often develops specialized, spongy tissue called aerenchyma to help with gas exchange .

 Habitat and Distribution

• Native Range: It is native to the central and eastern U.S.A., from Massachusetts south to Florida and Texas . Its primary range is along the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, with some scattered, disjunct populations inland .

• Preferred Habitat: As an OBL (Obligate Wetland) species, it is almost always found in wetlands. Its habitats include swamps, bogs, marshes, interdunal swales, and the shores of ponds and slow-moving streams .

• Conservation Status: According to Kew's Plants of the World Online, its predicted extinction risk is currently "not threatened" . However, due to its specific habitat requirements, it is rare in some areas, such as Indiana, where it has a high conservation coefficient .