Alien species Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae) in water bodies of urbanized territories of Southern Russia

Abstract

For the first time, an alien plant species of African origin—water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.)—was found in the ponds of the Republic of Adygea (Northwestern Caucasus). In 2014, we discovered clusters of plants with 16–34 rosettes on the water surface of ponds within the city of Maykop, as well as continuous clumps of the plant up to 1 m² in area each in the coastal zone of the water bodies. The suggested cause of water lettuce occurrence in the urbanized territory is its invasion from aquaculture. Adygea is the southernmost location in Russia in terms of the presence of water lettuce.