**Botanical Characteristics:**
– Water caltrop has a submerged stem reaching 3.7 to 4.6 meters in length.
– It has two types of leaves: finely divided submerged leaves and undivided floating leaves.
– The floating leaves have saw-tooth edges and are ovoid or triangular in shape.
– White flowers form in early summer and are insect-pollinated.
– The fruit is a nut with four barbed spines, with seeds remaining viable up to 12 years.
– Bicornin is an ellagitannin found in T. bicornis.
**Taxonomy and History:**
– The genus has an extensive fossil record with numerous species.
– Fossilized seeds have been found in Cenozoic strata in Europe, China, and North America.
– The oldest known fossils attributed to the genus are of leaves from Cretaceous Alaska.
– The genus became extinct in North America before the Pleistocene.
– Water caltrop has cultural significance in different regions.
– Water caltrop was an important food for worship since the Chinese Zhou Dynasty.
– In India and Pakistan, it is known as singhara paniphal and widely cultivated in freshwater lakes.
– Water caltrop was once commonly sold in markets across Europe.
**Role in Fasciolopsiasis Transmission:**
– Fasciolopsiasis is an ailment resulting from infection by the trematode Fasciolopsis buski.
– The fluke can be transmitted through water plants like water caltrops.
– Larval flukes form cysts on water caltrops, which can infect humans and animals if consumed raw or undercooked.
– Water caltrop plays a role in the transmission of this parasitic infection.
– Proper cooking and hygiene practices are essential to prevent fasciolopsiasis.
**Taxonomic Confusion and Historical References:**
– Water chestnut is often confused with European Trapa and Chinese Eleocharis.
– Common names are not consistently matched to stable botanical names.
– Taxonomic challenges are highlighted in publications by researchers like Berry.
– Historical records provide insights into the water chestnut’s significance.
– Studies reveal the use of water chestnut as a food resource in ancient times.
**Cultural and Culinary Significance:**
– Water chestnut holds cultural importance during Navratra.
– The plant has been utilized in culinary practices for centuries.
– The nutritional value and culinary uses of water chestnut are detailed in resources.
– Culinary traditions involving water chestnut are documented in various historical accounts.
– The plant’s invasive nature and impact on ecosystems are discussed in publications.
**Botanical Research, Conservation, and External Resources:**
– Botanical research institutions provide taxonomic information on Trapa.
– Efforts to manage invasive species like water chestnut are highlighted.
– Conservation initiatives for water chestnut are supported by organizations.
– Research publications contribute to understanding the plant’s ecology.
– External resources like Wikimedia Commons and NatureServe offer information for educational and conservation purposes.
The water caltrop is any of three extant species of the genus Trapa: Trapa natans, Trapa bicornis and the endangered Trapa rossica. It is also known as buffalo nut, bat nut, devil pod, ling nut, mustache nut, singhara nut or water chestnut.
Water caltrop | |
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Trapa natans | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Lythraceae |
Subfamily: | Trapoideae Voigt |
Genus: | Trapa L. |
Type species | |
Trapa natans L.
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Species | |
The species are floating annual aquatic plants, growing in slow-moving freshwater up to 5 metres (16 feet) deep, native to warm temperate parts of Eurasia and Africa. They bear ornately shaped fruits, which in the case of T. bicornis resemble the head of a bull or the silhouette of a flying bat. Each fruit contains a single very large, starchy seed. T. natans and T. bicornis have been cultivated in China and the Indian subcontinent for the edible seeds for at least 3,000 years.