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Water Sprite

Ferns and Fern Allies

Water sprite, Ceratopteris thalictroides, is an aquatic fern of the family Pteridaceae native to tropical and subtropical wetlands of Asia, Africa and Australia, able to grow either rooted in mud with emergent fronds or fully floating and submerged. Its finely divided, feathery fronds and rapid growth have made it one of the most popular plants in the freshwater aquarium hobby, valued both for aquascaping and for its ability to absorb excess nutrients from aquarium water, and in parts of Southeast Asia its young fronds are also eaten as a leafy vegetable.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Photosynthetic Autotroph 1
System (Realm)
Freshwater 2
Relationship to People
Eaten or Drunk by People 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G4 Apparently Secure 5
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 6
Scientific Name
Ceratopteris thalictroides 7
Conservation Status
Least Concern 7
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Pteridophyta, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Water Sprite

In Biome

Freshwater Swamp Forest, Biomes
Source Ceratopteris thalictroides (Wikipedia)
Wetlands, Biomes
Source Ceratopteris thalictroides (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Alagoas

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Amapa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Amazonia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Bahia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

China

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Fujian

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Guangdong

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Hubei

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Maranhao

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Mato Grosso

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Minas Gerais

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Pantanal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Pernambuco

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Rio de Janeiro

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Rio Grande do Sul

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Santa Catarina

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Tibet

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Plant (Wikipedia)
Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
Quote, Lead, whole group is photosynthetic
They are predominantly photosynthetic or came from photosynthetic ancestors, meaning that they obtain their energy from sunlight by using the green pigment chlorophyll in their chloroplasts to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. Plants For A Future: Ceratopteris thalictroides - Useful Tropical Plants
Plants For A FutureGeneral Information: food
Quote, General Information: food
The plant is often used as a vegetable, especially in Asia
View the Source
4. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ2946391, descriptionView the Source
5. NatureServe Explorer: Ceratopteris thalictroides
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G4"
View the Source
6. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Polypodiales
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12392
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12392
"active":true,"cites_listing":"NC"
View the Source
7. Wikidata: Water Sprite
  • Wikidata P141 (IUCN conservation status) claim, entity QID Q2946391
  • Child Taxon Of: Pteridophyta, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the Source
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Union for Conservation of NatureView the Source
Ceratopteris thalictroides (Wikipedia)
  • In Biome: Wetlands, Habitat wetland
    Ceratopteris thalictroides is often found near stagnant water or in still pockets along slow flowing rivers in swampy areas, swamp forests, sago swamps, marshes, natural and man-made ponds.
  • In Biome: Freshwater Swamp Forest, Habitat swamp forest
    Ceratopteris thalictroides is often found near stagnant water or in still pockets along slow flowing rivers in swampy areas, swamp forests, sago swamps, marshes, natural and man-made ponds.
View the Source
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