pickerelweed

pickerelweed
/pik"euhr euhl weed', pik"reuhl-/, n.
any American plant of the genus Pontederia, esp. P. cordata, having spikes of blue flowers, common in shallow fresh water.
[1645-55; PICKEREL + WEED1]

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▪ plant
      any of several genera of aquatic plants comprising the family Pontederiaceae, especially those of the genus Pontederia. Most species are perennials, native primarily to tropical America. They have creeping rootstocks, fibrous roots, and leaves in clusters at the base of the plant or borne on branched stems. The fruit is a capsule containing many seeds, or a one-seeded winged structure. Plants of the genus Pontederia, about five species of perennials, have spikes of bluish-purple flowers at the top of a one-leaved stem, clusters of lance- or heart-shaped leaves at the base, and thick rootstocks.

      Pickerelweed (P. cordata) is common in shallow lakes and muddy shores in eastern North America. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental garden pool or aquarium plant. water hyacinth (Eichhornia) and mud plantain (Heteranthera) are other widely distributed genera of the family.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • pickerelweed — ☆ pickerelweed [pik′ər əl wēd΄] n. any of a genus (Pontederia) of North American aquatic plants of the pickerelweed family, esp. a species ( P. cordata) with arrow shaped leaves and spikes of blue violet flowers, found in shallow waters adj.… …   English World dictionary

  • pickerelweed — noun Date: 1836 a shallow water monocotyledonous perennial plant (Pontederia cordata) chiefly of the eastern United States and Canada with large leaves and a spike of purplish blue flowers …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pickerelweed — noun Any of several freshwater plants, of the genus Pontederia, that have heart shaped leaves …   Wiktionary

  • pickerelweed — pick•er•el•weed [[t]ˈpɪk ər əlˌwid, ˈpɪk rəl [/t]] n. pln any of several North American aquatic plants of the genus Pontederia, esp. P. cordata, with spikes of blue flowers, common in shallow fresh waters • Etymology: 1645–55 …   From formal English to slang

  • pickerelweed — /ˈpɪkərəlwid/ (say pikuhruhlweed) noun any plant of the American genus Pontederia, especially P. cordata, a blue flowered herb common in shallow fresh water …  

  • pickerelweed — noun American plant having spikes of blue flowers and growing in shallow water of streams and ponds • Syn: ↑pickerel weed, ↑wampee, ↑Pontederia cordata • Hypernyms: ↑aquatic plant, ↑water plant, ↑hydrophyte, ↑hydrophy …   Useful english dictionary

  • pickerelweed family — noun aquatic or bog plants • Syn: ↑Pontederiaceae, ↑family Pontederiaceae • Hypernyms: ↑monocot family, ↑liliopsid family • Member Holonyms: ↑Xyridales, ↑order X …   Useful english dictionary

  • Pontederia — noun pickerelweed • Syn: ↑genus Pontederia • Hypernyms: ↑monocot genus, ↑liliopsid genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Pontederiaceae, ↑family Pontederiaceae, ↑pi …   Useful english dictionary

  • genus Pontederia — noun pickerelweed • Syn: ↑Pontederia • Hypernyms: ↑monocot genus, ↑liliopsid genus • Member Holonyms: ↑Pontederiaceae, ↑family Pontederiaceae, ↑pickerelweed …   Useful english dictionary

  • water hyacinth — a floating aquatic plant, Eichornia crassipes, of tropical lakes and rivers, that grows so prolifically it often hinders the passage of boats. [1895 1900, Amer.] * * * Any of about five species of aquatic plants that make up the genus Eichhornia… …   Universalium

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