Zizania aquatica

കാട്ടു നെല്ല് 
 Southern wild rice is found along fresh to brackish river shores and shallow water of lakes and rivers. It may form huge monocultures, and is sometimes planted, as it is a significant source of food for waterfowl. It was an important element of the diets of many Native American tribes.  Habitat Brackish or salt marshes and flats, fresh tidal marshes or flats, lacustrine (in lakes or ponds), riverine (in rivers or streams), shores of rivers or lakes  Characteristics Habitat aquatic wetlands New England state Connecticut Maine Massachusetts Rhode Island Vermont Leaf blade width 3–72 mm Inflorescence branches the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence Spikelet length 5–24 mm Glume relative length NA Awn on glume NA One or more florets there is one floret per spikelet Lemma awn length 10–100 mm Leaf sheath hair type there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath Leaf ligule length 5–30 mm Show All Characteristics Wetland Status Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)  New England Distribution and Conservation Status Distribution Connecticut present Maine present Massachusetts present New Hampshire present Rhode Island present Vermont present Conservation Status Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.  var. aquatica Massachusetts fairly widespread (S-rank: S4) Rhode Island extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (uncertain) (code: C*) Native to North America? Yes  Sometimes Confused With Zizania palustris: upper portion of inflorescence (i.e., the carpellate portion) with usually tightly ascending branches and abortive spikelets 0.6-2.6 mm wide (vs. Z. aquatica, with the upper portion of the inflorescence with loosely ascending branches and abortive spikelets 0.4-1 mm wide). Synonyms Ceratochaete aquatica (L.) Lunell Zizania aquatica var. subbrevis Boivin Family Poaceae  Genus Zizania  Notes on Subspecies and Varieties in New England Our variety is Zizania aquatica L. var. aquatica.  Information from Dichotomous Key of Flora Novae Angliae 1.  Zizania aquatica L. var. aquatica N  southern wild rice. Ceratochaete aquatica (L.) Lunell; Zizania aquatica L. var. subbrevis Boivin • CT, MA, ME, RI, VT. Fresh to brackish-tidal river shores, shallow water of lakes and inland rivers. Some populations of this species have been intentionally introduced as food for waterfow