Trapa natans L.

Locations ofTrapa natans L. in Virginia

Show image without county labels

Detail

Family
Lythraceae
Botanical Name
Trapa natans L.
Common Name
Chinese Water-chestnut, European Water-chestnut, Water-caltrop
Synonym(s)
Flora of Virginia Name/Status
Trapa natans L.
Comments
Now essentially gone from the Potomac River where once frequent and the target of intensive eradication efforts. Reported from Fairfax Co. at Gunston Cove [McAtee (1930), 7th Supplement to the Flora of D.C. and Vicinity]. The listing from Virginia Beach by Massey (1961) has not been substantiated. Plants thought to be Trapa natans were found in a few industrial ponds in Fairfax County beginning in 2006 but these more likely represent T. bispinosa, a recently discovered, cryptic invader (Chorak et al. 2019. Cryptic introduction of water chestunt (Trapa) in the northeastern United States. Aquatic Botany 155: 32-37.)
Habitat
Potomac River and tributaries, at least formerly. Once rare in the n. Coastal Plain but not confirmed since ca. 1950s (Nancy Rybicki USGS aquatic plant ecologist, pers. comm.)
Native Status
Introduced

To save this map, right-click (control-click for Mac users) on the map and choose "Save Image As...".