Taxon: Trapa natans L.

Summary

Genus:

Trapa

Family:

Lythraceae

Nomen number:

36824

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:120. 1753

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358139

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/05/2017 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

5 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Trapa natans L. var. natans

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Trapa bicornis Osbeck
Trapa bispinosa Roxb.
Trapa bispinosa Roxb. var. bispinosa
Trapa bispinosa Roxb. var. iinumai Nakano
Trapa natans L. var. bispinosa (Roxb.) Makino
Trapa natans L. var. quadrispinosa (Roxb.) Makino
Trapa quadrispinosa Roxb.

Invalid Designation(s)
Trapa japonica auct.
Trapa mammillifera auct.

Images (4 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Forestry Images – Images of invasive weeds from www.forestryimages.org

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 178-179.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
National Plant Board. 2008-. National Plant Board federal and state quarantine summaries
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Steward, A. N. 1958. Manual of vascular plants of the lower Yangtze valley.
Takano, A, & Y. Kadono. 2005. Allozyme variations and classification of Trapa (Trapaceae) in Japan. Aquatic Bot. 83:108-118.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Uphof, J. C. T. 1968. Dictionary of economic plants, ed. 2.
USDA National Agricultural Library. National Invasive Species Information Center (on-line resource).
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	bullnut	http://nationalplantboard.org/docs/summaries/washington.pdf	1	National Plant Board. 2008-. National Plant Board federal and state quarantine summaries
English	European water-chestnut	as Trapa natans var. natans	1	Rosengarten, F. 1984. The book of edible nuts Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
English	horn-nut	as Trapa bicornis	1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa bicornis
English	Jesuit's-nut	as Trapa natans var. natans	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:496. Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
English	lingnut	as Trapa bicornis	1	Mabberley, D. J. 2008. Mabberley's plant-book: a portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses, ed. 3 Note: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
English	singhara-nut	as Trapa natans var. bispinosa	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: as Trapa natans var. bispinosa
English	water caltrop	as Trapa natans var. natans	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:496. Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
English	water-chestnut	as Trapa bicornis	1	Uphof, J. C. T. 1968. Dictionary of economic plants, ed. 2.
English (Canada)	European water-chestnut	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 178-179.
French	châtaigne d'eau	as Trapa bicornis	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa bicornis
French	cornue	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
French	macre	as Trapa bicornis	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa bicornis
French	macre commune	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
French	saligot	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2 Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
French (Canada)	châtaigne d’eau	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 178-179.
German	chinesische Wassernuß	as Trapa bicornis	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa bicornis
German	singhara Wassernuß	as Trapa natans var. bispinosa	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen Note: as Trapa natans var. bispinosa
German	Wassernuß	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
Portuguese	castanha-d'água	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
Spanish	abrojo de agua	as Trapa natans var. natans	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
Spanish	castaña de agua	as Trapa bicornis	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Trapa bicornis
Swedish	sjönöt		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea-Bissau			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Anhui Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hebei Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Henan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hubei Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hunan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangsu Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangxi Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jilin Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Liaoning Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Nei Mongol Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shandong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xizang Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Zhejiang Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey		n.w.	Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Slovakia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain		incl. Baleares	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated					also cult.	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized					widely natzd. elsewhere	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Tunisia
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Tanzania, Uganda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Guinea-Bissau
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa [KwaZulu-Natal]

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Turkey (n.w.)
CAUCASUS: Georgia
CHINA: China [Anhui Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Japan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Pakistan
INDO-CHINA: Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia
EASTERN EUROPE: Belarus, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized (widely natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)

Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1960-. Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viet-Nam.
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Pottier-Alapetite, G. 1979-1981. Flore de la Tunisie: Angiospermes-Dicotyledones.
Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Human food	nut		Mabberley, D. J. 1997. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2 Note: as Trapa natans var. natans
Human food	nut	as Trapa bicornis	Rosengarten, F. 1984. The book of edible nuts 337-8. Note: as Trapa bicornis
Human food	nut	as Trapa natans var. bicornis	Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan. Note: = Trapa bispinosa Roxb.
Human food	starch		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Human food	starch	as Trapa bicornis	Rosengarten, F. 1984. The book of edible nuts 337-8. Note: as Trapa bicornis
Weed			Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=36824. Accessed 17 April 2026.