浮水草本,高30-60厘(li)米(mi)。須根發達,棕黑色(se)(se),長達30厘(li)米(mi)。莖極短,具(ju)長匍匐枝(zhi),匍匐枝(zhi)淡綠(lv)色(se)(se)或(huo)帶紫色(se)(se),與母株分離后長成新(xin)植物(wu)。
葉在(zai)(zai)基部(bu)(bu)叢生,蓮座狀排(pai)列,一般5-10片(pian);葉片(pian)圓形(xing)(xing),寬卵形(xing)(xing)或(huo)寬菱形(xing)(xing),長4.5-14.5厘米,寬5-14厘米,頂端(duan)鈍(dun)圓或(huo)微尖(jian),基部(bu)(bu)寬楔形(xing)(xing)或(huo)在(zai)(zai)幼時(shi)為(wei)淺心形(xing)(xing),全(quan)緣,具弧(hu)形(xing)(xing)脈,表面深綠(lv)(lv)色(se),光(guang)亮,質地厚實(shi),兩邊微向(xiang)上卷,頂部(bu)(bu)略向(xiang)下翻卷;葉柄長短不等,中部(bu)(bu)膨(peng)大成(cheng)囊狀或(huo)紡錘形(xing)(xing),內有許多(duo)多(duo)邊形(xing)(xing)柱(zhu)狀細(xi)胞組成(cheng)的氣室,維管束散布其間,黃(huang)綠(lv)(lv)色(se)至綠(lv)(lv)色(se),光(guang)滑;葉柄基部(bu)(bu)有鞘狀苞片(pian),長8-11厘米,黃(huang)綠(lv)(lv)色(se),薄(bo)而半(ban)透(tou)明;
花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)葶從葉柄基(ji)部的(de)鞘狀(zhuang)苞片(pian)腋內伸(shen)出,長(chang)(chang)(chang)34-46厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),多(duo)棱;穗狀(zhuang)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)序長(chang)(chang)(chang)17-20厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),通常具9-12朵花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua);花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)被裂片(pian)6枚(mei),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)瓣狀(zhuang),卵(luan)形(xing)、長(chang)(chang)(chang)圓(yuan)形(xing)或倒(dao)卵(luan)形(xing),紫藍(lan)色(se),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)冠略兩(liang)側(ce)對稱(cheng),直(zhi)徑4-6厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),上方1枚(mei)裂片(pian)較(jiao)大,長(chang)(chang)(chang)約(yue)3.5厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),寬約(yue)2.4厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),三色(se)即四周淡紫紅色(se),中間(jian)藍(lan)色(se),在藍(lan)色(se)的(de)中央有1黃(huang)色(se)圓(yuan)斑,其余各片(pian)長(chang)(chang)(chang)約(yue)3厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),寬1.5-1.8厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),下方1枚(mei)裂片(pian)較(jiao)狹,寬1.2-1.5厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)被片(pian)基(ji)部合生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)成筒(tong),外面近基(ji)部有腺(xian)毛(mao);雄蕊6枚(mei),貼生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)被筒(tong)上,3長(chang)(chang)(chang)3短,長(chang)(chang)(chang)的(de)從花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)被筒(tong)喉部伸(shen)出,長(chang)(chang)(chang)1.6-2厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),短的(de)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)于近喉部,長(chang)(chang)(chang)3-5毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi);花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)絲上有腺(xian)毛(mao),長(chang)(chang)(chang)約(yue)0.5毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi),3(2-4)細(xi)胞,頂(ding)端膨大;花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)藥(yao)箭形(xing),基(ji)著,藍(lan)灰色(se),2室(shi),縱裂;花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)粉(fen)粒長(chang)(chang)(chang)卵(luan)圓(yuan)形(xing),黃(huang)色(se);子房(fang)上位,長(chang)(chang)(chang)梨(li)形(xing),長(chang)(chang)(chang)6毫(hao)(hao)米(mi)(mi)(mi),3室(shi),中軸胎座,胚珠多(duo)數;花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)柱1,長(chang)(chang)(chang)約(yue)2厘(li)米(mi)(mi)(mi),伸(shen)出花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)被筒(tong)的(de)部分有腺(xian)毛(mao);柱頭上密生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)腺(xian)毛(mao)。蒴(shuo)果卵(luan)形(xing)。花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)期7-10月(yue),果期8-11月(yue)。
原產(chan)巴西。廣(guang)布于中(zhong)(zhong)國長江、黃河流域及華(hua)南各省。生(sheng)于海拔200-1500米的水(shui)塘、溝渠及稻(dao)田中(zhong)(zhong)。亞(ya)洲熱(re)帶地(di)區也(ye)已廣(guang)泛生(sheng)長。
選擇開(kai)花植株較(jiao)多(duo)的(de)(de)水塘,不(bu)打撈,于(yu)9-10月(yue),待(dai)小(xiao)果(guo)呈(cheng)淡黃時,將(jiang)彎曲的(de)(de)結(jie)果(guo)花梗摘下(xia)(xia),采后(hou)攤暗(an)風(feng)干,剝去果(guo)皮(pi),取出種子(zi)。若于(yu)盛花時的(de)(de)上(shang)午9-10點(dian),將(jiang)露出花粉的(de)(de)花在(zai)拄(zhu)頭上(shang)擦觸幾下(xia)(xia),可(ke)壘部結(jie)實,種子(zi)飽滿。品種優良。2月(yue)下(xia)(xia)旬至(zhi)3月(yue)初將(jiang)飽滿且呈(cheng)黃褐色的(de)(de)種子(zi)放在(zai)25-30℃水中浸種10天,然后(hou)播(bo)在(zai)水面(mian)上(shang),井保(bao)持3O℃左(zuo)右的(de)(de)溫度和濕度狀態(tai),經(jing)1至(zhi)2周萌(meng)發(fa)。待(dai)幼苗長(chang)出5-6片葉時,葉捅開(kai)始蟛大,已有(you)一定(ding)浮力,幼苗分(fen)枝后(hou)即可(ke)移植。立夏以(yi)后(hou),平均氣(qi)溫升至(zhi)20℃左(zuo)右,可(ke)移至(zhi)內(nei)塘的(de)(de)水面(mian)養(yang)殖。
鳳眼藍腋芽較多,能發育戚為(wei)新的植株(zhu),匍匐(fu)枝(zhi)較長(chang),嫩脆易斷,斷離后亦成為(wei)獨立的新株(zhu),具有(you)租強的無(wu)性繁殖能力。