Ottelia acuminate reemerge on Erhai Lake

Ottelia acuminate, which is called the touchstone for water quality, has recently reemerged on the Erhai Lake in west Yunnan’s Dali prefecture.

A species particular to China, ottelia acuminate has white petals and yellow stamens. Growing mostly in freshwater lakes on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, this plant is very sensitive to water quality, and it will stop growing once the water is polluted.

Since1980, Erhai Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in Yunnan province, has been polluted due to population growth and tourism development in the lake basin. As a result, ottelia acuminate on Erhai disappeared and was replaced by cyanobacteria.

To restore the natural beauty of Erhai, Yunnan launched all-round eco-protection projects in 2016. So far, 1,806 families near the Erhai Lake have been resettled, and the surrounding areas have been turned into parks and green areas.

Over the past months, Erhai’s water quality has been defined as Class II. "Although ottelia acuminate is rootless, I hope it could keep blooming on the Erhai Lake," said a villager nearby.

Source: Xinhua; trans-editing by Wang Shixue and Yuan Yingcen