Water Chestnut (Cilingjiao or ) is an annual, rooted floating leaved non-native plant that can form dense
impenetrable mats at the water’s surface.
• The green triangular 2-4 cm wide floating leaves form rosettes, which are attached to the main
stem by an inflated petiole (leaf stem). The upper side of the leaves is waxy and shiny and the
underside is coated with fine hairs. An air bladder is located at the base of the floating leaves, and
the leaf margins are wavy.
• The submerged leaves are feathered and whorled around the stem.
• The slender stems can reach lengths of 15 feet.
• Small white flowers with 4 petals develop from July until the first frost.
• Nuts are 3 cm large and armed with 4 very sharp ½” barbs.

Cilingjiao or  in Chinese mainly is produced in fresh water lakes such as Eel Lake, West Lake, Sword Lake, Huabi Lake etc. The big reason stab the caltrop lord produce in Eel Lake, West Lake, Sword Lake, spend the bluish green lake of main fresh water lake of etc. Sproutlace the long leaf in spring annually, the leaves float in the surface, leaves' side grows the teeth of a saw, petiole the central part is more the both ends fatty big; Bloom in summer, the flower is small and the color is white, present four petal flower petals.

The autumn is high to annoy and the great seasonal changes, the water caltrop in water are solid clusters of, it is a seasonal changes that picks the caltrop, the caltrop cortex that is at this time is strong and tough to living also delicate stab, clean the fresh caltrop that picks to come, then boil a short moment with the boiling water after, go to the skin hull then edible; The caltrop is flesh and white that is at this time delicate, sweet food, it is a widespread and favorite food of the people of Bai Nationality.