Trapa natans

Botanical Description

Trapa natans is an annual aquatic herb with a rosette of floating leaves and submerged, paired but not opposite, pinnatisect and leaf-like adventitious roots[ 324 Title Edible Nuts. Publication Non-Wood Forest Products, Handbook 5 Author Wickens G.E. Website http://www.fao.org/docrep/ Publisher FAO, Rome. Year 1995 ISBN 92-5-103748-5 Description Detailed information on 20 of the most valuable nut crops, plus more basic information on a wide range of other nut-producing plants. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The plant can be free-floating in the water, or rooting in the mud in shallow water. It is also able to grow out of water in very wet, muddy soils[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. Often called water chestnut (though this name properly refers to a quite different plant, Eleocharis dulcis). The plant has a long history of use, with evidence showing that the seeds were a major component of the human diet several thousand years ago, Its use as a food crop has greatly declined in recent times in Europe, but it is a very important crop in many parts of Asia, especially China and India where it is widely cultivated for its nutritious, edible seeds and has various medicinal properties[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. , 2216 Title Trapa natans (Water Chestnut): An Overview Publication IRJP 2012, 3 (6) pp 31-33 Author Shalabh B., Akash J. & Jasmine C. Website http://www.irjponline.com Publisher Year 2012 ISBN 2230-8407 Description ]. The plant is also grown as an ornamental in aquaria and outdoor ponds. Trapa natans is a widespread and does not face any major global threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. Trapa natans is a productive, annual, floating-leaved plant which has been cultivated globally for the nutritious nut it produces. It is an extremely important food crop in China and India and is a protected species in Europe, but in its introduced range (particularly eastern N. America)), it grows in thick stands that displace native vegetation and affect water quality. Thick beds of water chestnut can cause significant declines in dissolved oxygen that negatively affect sensitive fauna. The nearly impenetrable mats are of virtually no use to wildlife and interfere with boating, fishing and swimming, while the large, spiny nuts can cause injuries to swimmers. The plant sets abundant seed, making it difficult to eradicate once it is introduced. The plant is designated as invasive in eastern N. America.[ 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].