Study Guides/Biology/Smallest Flower in the World
Study Guide · Biology

Which is the Smallest Flower in the World?

While everyone knows that the massive, foul-smelling Rafflesia is the largest flower on Earth, very few people know about the tiniest flower. Let's explore this amazing botanical fact.

Question (Click to Flip)

Which is the smallest flower in the world?

Answer

The smallest flower in the world is Wolffia (also known as Watermeal). It is an aquatic plant so tiny that it is the size of a grain of sand, having no roots or leaves.

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Key Facts

Smallest Flower: Wolffia (Watermeal).

Size: The size of a grain of sand (0.1 mm).

Habitat: Floats on the surface of freshwater ponds and lakes.

Largest Flower: Rafflesia arnoldii.

The Smallest Flower in the World

The title for the smallest flower (and the smallest flowering plant) in the world goes to the Wolffia (commonly known as Watermeal).

  • Size: It is incredibly tiny. A single Wolffia plant is about the size of a grain of sand or a sprinkle you put on a cake (measuring about 0.1 to 0.2 millimeters in diameter).
  • Weight: It is so small and light that it would take roughly 5,000 of these flowers to weigh just one gram.

Fascinating Facts about Wolffia

  1. No Roots or Leaves: Unlike normal plants, Wolffia has no roots, stems, or true leaves. It is basically a tiny, floating green speck that sits on the surface of calm lakes and ponds.
  2. The Flower: The flower itself is microscopic. It grows in a tiny depression on the top of the plant and consists of just one pistil and one stamen.
  3. Highly Nutritious: Despite its microscopic size, it is packed with protein (like soybeans). In many parts of Asia, people actually collect it from the water and eat it as a nutritious vegetable.

Questions and Answers

Which is the smallest flower in the world?+

The smallest flower in the world is Wolffia (also known as Watermeal). It is an aquatic plant so tiny that it is the size of a grain of sand, having no roots or leaves.

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