Practical
Plants

Ceratophyllum demersum

Hornwort

a perennial member of the Ceratophyllum genus in the family Ceratophyllaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
1 m
Fertility
Water
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Water

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves[2][4]. No further details are given.

Plant part
Leaves

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is a cooling antiperiodic[7]. It is useful in the treatment of biliousness and scorpion stings[7].

Product or use
Antiperiodic
Product or use
Stings

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, but absent from the Arctic.
Habitat
Ponds and ditches[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
aquatic
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - we have no details on this species but would suggest sowing the seed as soon as it is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse with the pot immersed in water. It is likely that the seed will quickly lose viability if allowed to dry out so if it is stored it should be kept cool in a container of water and then be sown in late winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a tray of water in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings in the growing season root easily[5]. Plants propagate themselves naturally when scaly young shoots or winter buds separate from the main plant[5].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a sandy medium rich in decaying organic matter in full sun, but it tolerates shade better than most submerged aquatic plants[5]. A good pond oxygenator, it usually grows submerged in the water but is sometimes found floating on the surface[1][5]. This species belongs to one of only two known dicot genera where pollination taks place under water. The anthers of male flowers break off the plant and float to the surface where they release their pollen grains. These then sink under the water to fertilize the female flowers[8]. This species, however, more commonly reproduces asexually[8]. In some parts of the world bilharzia-carrying snails and malaria-carrying mosquito larvae shelter in the leaves of plants of this genus. The plants can also grow so vigorously as to choke waterways, though they also provide good shelter for young fish[8]. The plant is very brittle[1].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩

  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  5. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

  7. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩1↩2↩3

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