Ottelia ovalifolia (R. Br.) L.C. Rich, Hydrocharitaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Damasonium ovalifolium R. Br.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: swamp lily

Habit:  aquatic herb

Description: 

Genus:  "Attached, submerged or emergent freshwater herbs.  Leaves radical, petiole base sheathing.  Spathe with prominent ribs or wings, peduncled, 1-flowered; flowers bisexual in Australian species, sessile within spathe, conspicuous in Australian species; sepals 3, persistent; petals 3, longer than sepals; stamens 6-15, 6-12 in Australian species; styles 6-15, 6-9 in Australian species, bifid.  Fruits with thickened pericarp."

Key to Australian species:

Otellia alismoides:  Leaf blades submerged, broadly ovate to suborbicular, thin and translucent; spathe with 5-10 conspicuous longitudinal wings, sometimes wings reduced to ribs.
Otellia ovalifolia:  Leaf blades floating on water surface, elliptic to ovate, thick and opaque; spathe ribbed but without wings.

Species:  "Leaves emergent; petioles terete, up to 120 cm long; blades floating, thick, opaque, elliptic to ovate, 2-16 cm x 1-10 cm. Flowers of two kinds, chasmogamous and cleistogamous; spathe 3-6 cm long, ribbed but not winged; chasmogamous flowers emergent, sepals 1.5-2.5 cm long, petals cream with dark base, ca 3 cm long; cleistogamous flowers submerged.  Fruits enclosed in spathe; seeds with numerous fine appressed hairs"  (Stanley and Ross, 1989; vol. 3, p. 11).

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "at times a nuisance in dams, ponds and slow-moving waters" (Healy & Edgar, 1980; p. 30).  In New Caledonia, "commun dans les mares de la moitié Sud de la côte Ouest" (MacKee, 1994; p. 66). In Australia (Queensland), where it is native, "widespread in the region in still water in ponds, dams, etc., up to a depth of 60 cm or more on muddy bottoms, occasionally found in slow or even fast moving streams; moderately common" (Stanley and Ross, 1989; vol. 3, p. 11).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Australia, naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 66) Vouchers cited: Le Rat 1297, Däniker 773, MacKee 10113, MacKee 17130, MacKee 25522, MacKee 27604, MacKee 28601, MacKee 29948, MacKee 40622
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 94)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Healy, A. J./Edgar, E. (1980) (p. 30)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ottelia ovalifolia, please let us know.