PlantFiles: Swamp Lily
Ottelia ovalifolia

We have this in our pond and it gives plenty of shade to the frogs and fish. We are in Northland, New Zealand. We have no idea how it found it's way to our pond!

The Swamp Lily grows in Eastern Australia, usually in ponds and dams with a muddy bottom to a depth of 60 cm. The flowers are very like its cousin American Frog's Bit - Egeria densa.

An interesting feature of this plant is that in less than optimum conditions, it produces only cleistogamous flowers. These are flowers that never open. They remain as a large bud, but are self pollinating and still go on to produce seed. In Morwell National Park, the plant occurs in one small dam and over several years it has produced only cleistogamous flowers, although I have seen it in full flower in positions in full sunlight, outside the park.