Which Is the Smallest Flowering Plant in the World?

Wolffia is a genus of rootless aquatic plants that float on the surface of ponds and slow-moving water. Species such as Wolffia globosa are smaller than a grain of rice, and their flowers are the smallest of any plant. The plants usually reproduce by budding, allowing a population to double in size in a day or two under good conditions. Wolffia is rich in protein, around 40 percent of its dry weight, and has been eaten for generations in Thailand and neighbouring countries. Researchers are exploring it as a sustainable food for space missions.