History of discovery of the fastest growing angiosperm, Wolffia microscopica (Griff.) Kurz entwined with British India

Wolffia microscopica (Griff.) Kurz, the fastest multiplying angiosperm, belongs to the family Lemnaceae (the duckweed family) and characteristically exhibits frequent flowering. Interestingly, the discovery of this plant species originally designated as Grantia microscopica by William Griffith (1810–45) is interlinked with the ascent of the British in India. In this note, a historic account of the discovery, nomenclature and uniqueness of this species of duckweed endemic to the Indian subcontinent is presented in view of its gaining attention as a potential bioresource when there is resurgence in duckweed research globally for its utility as a model plant for both basic and applied studies.