Photo courtesy of Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
| Scientific Name | Pistia stratiotes L. |
| Common Name | Waterlettuce |
| Family | Araceae (Arum) |
| Class | Monocot |
| Description | Floating rosette species, leaves with dense hairs, vegetatively reproduces by daughter plant formation; flowers inconspicuous |
| US Distribution | Coastal plain from Florida to Texas |
| Worldwide Distribution | Tropical and subtropical regions worldwide; native to Amazon basin, South America |
| Ecology | Floating mat to rooted in moist soil |
| Economic Importance | Major nuisance species in tropical and subtropical regions |
| Ecological Importance | Major negative impact to subtropical and tropical aquatic ecosystems |
| Notes | Less cold tolerant than waterhyacinth, restricted to the warmest subtropical regions |