Water hyacinth

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/water-hyacinth

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Eichhornia crassipes
2. What is the conservation status?Not applicable; widely recognized as a highly invasive species in numerous regions
3. What is a water hyacinth and where does it come from?Water hyacinth is a floating plant with pretty purple flowers. It comes from the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America.
4. Why does water hyacinth grow so fast and cover so much water?Its stems are spongy and very buoyant, letting it float easily. It also makes many seeds and spreads through runners, so it can quickly form thick mats on the water.

Hydrophyte: A plant that grows in, on, or near water and is adapted to its aquatic environment.
Aerenchyma: Spongy plant tissue containing large air spaces, facilitating gas exchange in aquatic or semi-aquatic plants.
Monoculture: An ecosystem dominated by a single species, leading to reduced biodiversity.
Phytoremediation: The use of plants to remove, degrade, or contain environmental pollutants.