Echinodorus grandiflorus.
Monocots > Order Alismatales > Family Alismataceae.
Echinodorus grandiflorus can grow to 1 m in height.
It has a thick rhizome.
Leaves are erect and above the water.
Petioles are 60 to 80 cm long, sometimes more.
Leaves are around 30 cm long and 20 cm wide.
They are ovate, cordate (heart-shaped) or arrow-head shaped with a blunt tip.
When the basal lobes are directed downwards they are said to be sagittate.
The edges can be smooth or undulating.
The surface has tiny bristles.
Leaves have reddish-brown blotches especially noticeable when young.
The 7 to 13 curved brownish veins run lengthwise with multiple transverse veins between them.
Inflorescences are long and branched at the lowest whorl of flowers.
There are up to 12 whorls along the stalk each with up to 12 flowers.
Individual flowers are on short stalks up to 2.5 cm long.
There are bracts at the base of the pedicels.
The bisexual flowers are 3.5 cm across.
There are 3 free, ovate green sepals about 5 mm long.
The corolla has 3 white, slightly overlapping petals.
There are around 24 stamens, all free and maturing from the outside in.
The anthers open via longitudinal slits.
There can be up to 200 carpels spirally arranged on a rounded receptacle.
Each carpel has 1 ovule.
The fruit is a globular aggregate a few mms long.
J.F.
