Water-soldier

Family Hydrocharitaceae. The stiff leaves easily injure a person with their edges bearing spiny teeth, hence the name "water-soldier". The species epithet — aloe-like — the water-soldier received due to its resemblance to the leaves of the desert plant aloe (stolietnik).

A beautiful floating plant, attached by its roots to the bottom of a pond at a shallow depth for most of the time. Twice a year — during flowering in July and at the end of August, when daughter rosettes appear, it rises to the surface and floats freely. An interesting plant; however, under favorable conditions it can reproduce too rapidly.