The objective of this study was to obtain equations that allowed to estimate the leaf area and the float petiole outward area of Eichhornia crassipes, by studying the correlations between true leaf area and leaf dimensional parameters such as leaf length in the mid rib direction (C), and maximum leaf width (L), in the mid rib perpendicular direction, as well as the correlations between true float petiole outward area and maximum length (CP) and the largest transversal diameter (DP) of the float petiole. All the linear, geometric and exponential equations provided good leaf area and float petiole outward area estimates. It is suggested to opt for simple linear equations involving the respective C x L, considering zero as the linear coefficient. Thus, leaf area (AF) of E. crassipes can be estimated by the equation AF = 0,720 (C x L) and the float petiole outward area (AP) by the equation AP = 2,378 (CP x DP), with R² of 0.9716 and 0.9268, respectively.
aquatic plant; biometry; water hyacinth
