Rare aquatic plant floats on Erhai Lake

Ottelia acuminata is seen blooming again on the waters of the Erhai Lake, thanks to improvement of the water quality in recent years.

The rare aquatic plant used to grow in the western part of the lake in west Yunnan’s Dali, but it could not be seen for a certain period due to water pollution.

The plant is also known as the touchstone to water quality because it is highly sensitive to pollutants. It would be out of sight affected even if the water were slightly polluted.

In a broader sense, Ottelia acuminata is a water species endemic to south China, featuring underwater leaves as well as long and thin stems. In Dali, the tiny flower is also cooked into a dish.

Reporting by Huang Xingneng (Yunnan Daily); Trans-editing by Yang Xuan