Hydrilla verticillata *Family: Hydrocharitaceae * Location- Babhnan Basti Uttar Pradesh India

*Hydrilla verticillata 

*Family: Hydrocharitaceae

*Location-Babhnan Basti Uttar Pradesh India

*November 2021

Hydrilla is a monotypic genus; H. verticillata is both phenotypically and genetically variable

submerged aquatic plant that is the sole member of the genus Hydrilla in the frog’s-bit family (Hydrocharitaceae)

H. verticillata may be either monoecious or dioecious. The flowers are unisexual, arising from spathes situated in the leaf axils, each flower has three sepals and three petals. All six perianth parts are clear or translucent green (the sepals usually slightly reddish). The ovary is enclosed in the base of a hypanthium, the style is as long as the hypanthium and there are three stigmas. Due to an elongation of the hypanthium, the female flower ascends to the surface of the water. The perianth segments remain closed over the stigmas during this movement and retain a bubble of air above them. The perianth segments open to form a wide funnel which floats with its rim just at the water surface, its walls holding back the water and preventing wetting of the stigmas. The male flower becomes detached from the plant and subsequently rises to the surface of the water where the perianth segments uncurl. The anthers dehisce explosively and spread pollen for some 20 cm around the open flower. Pollination occurs via the air.

This species also reproduce vegetatively through the formation of large clones. In California and the Gulf States of the USA, and in Europe, there is no seed formation because only female flowers are produced

@ Shivam Maddhesiya