Currently I have commenced the tedious chores of writing up the story of each and every species in the Aquatic Plant Project. In doing so, general explanatory images are required. Here is one describing the internal structure of a Duckweed
Lemna minor plant. In order to show any details on the inner structure, some true witchcraft potions are administered and the plants let simmering for a while
In reality the fronds are vividly bright green in colour and there is nothing of the innards to be gleaned.
Most times the plants are without flowers and really don't need sexual propagation as their vegetative dispersal is highly efficient. However, if the sex urge overtakes a plant, it will form ultra-small flowers from one of the two budding pouches on the proximal end of the frond. The air cells provide buoyancy and the root hanging down on the underside provides stability. It has no root hairs at all, just a small root cap at the end. The 'stipe' is similar to a navel chord between mother and daughter frond(s).
Duckweeds being the tiniest of flowering plants necessitate true macro techniques if any sensible image of them is to be captured. For the image below I used Laowa 25mm f/2.8 set to 5X magnification on a Z7. This very specimen is 'huge' as far as
L. minor goes.
