First record of Landoltia punctata (Araceae, Lemnoideae) in Amazonia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Landoltia punctata is a species of duckweed originating from India, but has been recorded in all continents, except Antarctica. It is of economic interest, being used in phytoremediation, but mainly due to its high invasive potential. Here we report the first record of this species in the Amazon region, both expanding its known distribution and raising awareness about the potential losses of biodiversity that may occur in the kind of environment where the species was registered. Future studies should focus on the competitive potential and population control of L. punctata in the region.

Keywords

• biological invasion
• species distribution
• duckweed
• freshwater environment
• aquatic macrophyte