Category: Greening Sanjeevi Hills

We recorded a sighting of the floating aponogeton (Aponogeton natans), a native aquatic perennial herb known for its delicate floating leaves and fragrant flowers, at Sanjeevi Hills recently. This plant is indigenous to India and Sri Lanka and thrives in freshwater habitats such as ponds, tanks, lakes, slow-moving streams, and seasonally flooded wetlands.

The species plays a crucial ecological role in aquatic ecosystems. It oxygenates water, provides shelter for aquatic insects, fish, and invertebrates, and stabilizes sediments, helping reduce soil erosion in ponds and wetlands. Leaves and tubers also serve as food for waterfowl, fish, and other herbivorous fauna. Traditionally, tubers have been consumed in rural areas after proper cooking, and the plant is valued as an ornamental species in water gardens.