Kingdom : Plantae

Clade : Angiosperms

Order : Commelinales

Family: Pontederiaceae

Genus : Eichhornia

Eichhornia grows in shallow temporary ponds, wetlands and marshes, sluggish flowing waters and large lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Plants can tolerate extremes of water level fluctuation and seasonal variations in flow velocity, and extremes of nutrient availability, pH, temperature and toxic substances.

Its species are perennial aquatic plants (or hydrophytes) with prostrate and densely branched stems. The inflorescences can have one to 30 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pink in colour, rarely white.