Abstract
In this study two genera Spirodela Schleiden, and Landoltia Les & Crawford were recorded for the first time for flora of Iraq. Each genus represented by one species, these species is Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden and Landoltia punctata (G. Meyer) Les & Crawford. In addition one more species of the genus Lemna (L. minuta) was added to the flora of Iraq for the first time too. Brief descriptions with main distinguishing characters for the three new recorded species were provided. Habitat and geographical distribution were mentioned .Floral and fruit characters for Lemnaceae species from Iraqi material were tabulated and illustrated for the first time. A key to all species of Lemnaceae in Iraq was provided.
Highlights
The family Lemnaceae includes six genera and thirty species distributed in freshwater habitat in most part of the world, and only one genus Lemna, with four species, L. gibba L., L. minor L., L. perpusilla Torr. and L. trisulca L. have been found in Iraq (Townsend & Guest, 1985)
Because of the very small size, simple thallus structure and similarity in morphology of Lemnaceae species, it appears for most collectors that all green mass of the duckweed that cover the surface of water are belonging to the same species of Lemna .And because of all species of Lemnaceae are often grow together in same region, and usually asexually reproduced and flowers are rarely seen, it is very difficult to distinguish them in the field
Townsend and Guest (1985) and Al-Mayah and Al-Hamim (1991) mentioned that for Lemnaceae, only one genus, Lemna, has been recorded in Iraq, but it is very possible that others have been overlooked such as Spirodela polyrrhiza and Wolffia arrhiza
Summary
The family Lemnaceae includes six genera and thirty species distributed in freshwater habitat in most part of the world, and only one genus Lemna, with four species, L. gibba L., L. minor L., L. perpusilla Torr. and L. trisulca L. have been found in Iraq (Townsend & Guest, 1985). L. trisulca L. have been found in Iraq (Townsend & Guest, 1985). It is a family of very small aquatic plants including duckweed Lemna and the smallest known flowering plant Wolffia (Heywood, 1978). Species of Lemnaceae are important as a source of food for water fowl and fish. They are considered as an excellent food for hens, geese and ducks because they contain a large amount of protein and a small quantity of cellulose (Culley & Epps, 1973; Rusoff, Blakeney, & Culley, 1980; Men, Ogle, & Lindberg, 2002). The present study is part of an attempt to study morphology, ecology and distribution of new species of the family in Iraq, as well as description, diagnosis and key for all species were provided
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