Kleine Wasserlinse vs Duckweed

Lemna minor compared with Lemna perpusilla

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Kleine Wasserlinse	Duckweed
Kingdom same	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order same	Alismatales (Froschlöffelartige)	Alismatales (Froschlöffelartige)
Family same	Araceae	Araceae
Genus same	Lemna	Lemna
Species	Lemna minor	Lemna perpusilla

Evolutionary Relationship

Kleine Wasserlinse and Duckweed share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Lemna.

Conservation Status

Kleine Wasserlinse

LC — Least Concern

Duckweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Kleine Wasserlinse	Duckweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Kleine Wasserlinse

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Guyana).

Duckweed

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 10 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (7 countries), Asia (7 countries), Europe (4 countries), North America (5 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (5 countries), and South America (5 countries).

Kleine Wasserlinse

<em>Lemna minor</em>, commonly known as common duckweed, is a tiny floating aquatic plant in the family Araceae, recognized as one of the smallest flowering plants on Earth. Classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, the species enjoys a broad distribution across Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, colonizing a diverse array of habitats including grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated land with access to standing or slow-moving water. It typically inhabits ponds, lakes, ditches, and quiet streams, forming extensive green mats on the water surface. <em>Lemna minor</em> reproduces predominantly through asexual budding, allowing populations to expand rapidly under favorable conditions. The species provides vital ecosystem services, stabilizing nutrient cycles, reducing algal blooms through competition, and offering food and shelter for aquatic invertebrates, fish, and waterfowl. Due to its sensitivity to water quality, it is frequently used as a bioindicator in ecotoxicological research. Common duckweed has also attracted scientific interest for its potential in wastewater treatment and as a high-protein animal feed supplement. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇦 Canada 🇫🇷 France 🇬🇾 Guyana 🇺🇸 United States