Water caltrop

{{{name}}} Trapa	water caltrop, water chestnut
	Habit: ? Height: ⇕ ? Width: ⇔ Lifespan: ⌛ Origin: ✈ ? Poisonous: ☠	Exposure: ☼ ? Water: ◍ ? Features: ✓ Hardiness: ☃ Bloom: ❀ USDA Zones: ? Sunset Zones:
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Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Trapa (abbreviated from calcitrapa, which is the same as caltrops, an instrument of war used to impede the progress of mounted warriors; it had four spine-like projections, like the fruit of the water caltrops). Trapaceae or Hydrocaryaceae; by some retained in Onagraceae. Floating plants adapted to the aquarium. Flowers small, axillary, solitary, short-peduncled; calyx 4-parted, the segms. persistent, sometimes spinescent; petals and stamens 4; ovary 2-loculed; ovules solitary, long, pendulous, affixed to the septum: fr. top-shaped, leathery or somewhat bony, 1-loculed, 1-seeded.—Three species, native to the warmer parts of the eastern hemisphere. Trapa natans is one of the daintiest aquatics in cultivation. It is perfectly hardy and very desirable for aquaria, pools, ponds, or tub-culture. Its beautifully mottled or variegated foliage is very attractive. The flowers are white, small, and inconspicuous. The fruits are very large in comparison with the flowers and leaves, but they are hidden beneath the foliage until they ripen, when they drop off. They are good to eat raw, like chestnuts, and are sweeter and more palatable before the shell becomes hard. The nut is not likely to become of commercial importance in America. The seeds drop from the plant and remain in the pond all winter. Seeds must be kept in water or moist to retain their vitality. T. bicornis, Linn. f., the Ling of China, is by some referred to T. natans: the fr. has 2 strong opposite long decurved horns like those of a bull's head. CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Water caltrop. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Water caltrop QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)