Alismataceae
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 Sagittaria sagittifolia | ||||||||||
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 Alismataceae distribution map |
The Alismataceae or water-plantain family is a family of flowering plants, comprising 11 genera and between 85-95 species. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the greatest number of species in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most of the species are herbaceous aquatic plants growing in marshes and ponds.
Description
Most are robust perennials, but some may be annual or perennial, depending on water conditions - they are normally perennial in permanent waters, annual in more season conditions but there are exceptions. The stems are corm-like or stoloniferous. Juvenile and submerse leaves are often linear, whilst more mature and emerse leaves can be linear to ovate or even sagittate. Most have a distinct petiole, with a sheathed base.
The inflorescence is usually compound with whorls of branches, though some are umbel-like, and others have solitary flowers. The flowers are regular, bisexual or unisexual. Three sepals which usually persist in the fruit. Three petals, usually conspicuous, white, pink, purple, occasionally with yellow or purple spots. The petals rarely last more than one day. In Burnatia and Wiesnaria the petals are minute and even occasionally absent in female flowers. Stamens are 3, 6, 9 or numerous. ovary is superior, comprising 3 - numerous free carpels in one whorl or in a clustered head. Each carpel contains 1 (-2) anatropous ovules.
Fruit is a head of nutlets (except in Damasonium). The seeds have no endosperm ans a curved or folded embryo.
- Genera
- Alisma
- Baldellia
- Burnatia
- Caldesia
- Damasonium
- Echinodorus
- Limnophyton
- Luronium
- Ranalisma
- Sagittaria
- Wiesneria
Cultivation and uses
Several species, notably in the genus Sagittaria, have edible rhizomes, grown for both human food and animal feed in southern and eastern Asia. They were eaten as food by North American Indians. Most have value as food for wildlife. Some are grown as ornamental plants in bog gardens, ponds or aquariums.
