Flowering of Lemnaceae SF Gray in Siberia: Bioecological Characteristics

Five species belonging to Lemnaceae family are known to grow in Siberia: Lemna gibba, L. minor, L. trisulca, L. turionifera, and Spirodela polyrhiza. Characteristics of their distribution in Siberia, bioecological characteristics, and facts of flowering and fruiting of Lemnaceae are provided in this paper. It has been shown that the generative reproduction of duckweed is not a rare phenomenon, and it is typical for all species of the family known in the region. The flowering is usually observed for L. trisulca and L. turionifera. However, some cases of flowering are known for S. polyrhiza. Almost all populations of L. gibba found in Siberia had flowering and fruiting plants. L. minor had a limited distribution in Siberia; cases of flowering are rare. The generative reproduction of duckweed is found only in freshwater bodies (0.1-0.7 parts per thousand salinity) with a water depth of 0.1-0.7 m, temperature of the surface water layer from +20 to +33 degrees C, and pH from 5.96 to 9.30 units not obscured by tree-shrub and tall grass vegetation.

Automated summary

This paper provides information on the distribution and reproductive characteristics of five species belonging to the Lemnaceae family in Siberia. It reveals that generative reproduction is common among duckweeds in the region, with most populations displaying flowering and fruiting. Suitable conditions for generative reproduction of duckweed include freshwater bodies with specific salinity, temperature, and pH levels, and free from obstructive vegetation.