Species name :

Zannichellia majorBoenn. ex Rchb.
Published in Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 264. 1891.

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Zannichellia palustris subsp. major (Hartm.) Ooststr. & Reichg.

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [WFO] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life] [Worldplants.de]

Plant Family :

Zanichelliaceae Dumort. (The Horned Pondweed Family)
2 species from the Zanichelliaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Greater Horned Pondweed

Maltese name(s) :

Ħarira tal-widien

Status for Malta :

Naturalised Alien. Species that was introduced in Malta after year 1492 (Columbus' discovery of the New World) and spreads and integrates to form established, non-invasive populations. Species may become become invasive if it widespreads rapidly.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common    Frequent     Scarce     Rare    Very rare     Extinct

Growth form :

Germination type [info]: Monocotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Hydrophyte ( living in water or on the water surface )

Legal Protection :

Not legally protected till the last update of this website (22/Aug/2025)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

January – April

Colour of Flowers:

Inconspicuous

Toxicity:

Not particularly toxic

Name Derivation :

Zannichellia: A Genus named after Giovanni Gerolamo Zannichelli (1662-1729), a Venetian botanist, naturalist, physician and pharmacist. Further info : [1] [2]. (Latin origin)

major: Bigger, larger, greater, superior. This term was often given to plants which are larger or 'more important' compared to other species in the same genus. (Latin origin)

Planting in rural areas :

Can be planted in rural areas according to ERA Guidelines

Remarks :

Population destroyed when Wied tal-Qlejgha was renovated in 2020. Species was likely a native station since it was located in a natural habitat that is usually found. Some viable seeds may perhaps still exist in the sediment and bale to regenerate the popualtion. Zannichellia major was first found in Malta by Stephen Mifsud in 2008 from a valley. It's origin on the islands still have to be determined. Old floras mentioning Zannichellia palustris ( closely related to Z. major) refer to the rock-pool plants which later was described as Z. melitensis (a Maltese endemic). The fact that this taxon is not specifically listed in old floras (since these records refer to Z. melitensis) and that its native range is more North, indicates that the Z. major is of alien origin. On the other hand, a monograph of Zannichellia was published few decades ago, and hence recent taxonomic studies might indicate that the distibution of Z. major is more widespead to the South, since population previously identified in the past as Z. palustris s.l. may some of them turn out to be Z. major.