Aquatic herbs with perennial rhizomes. Stipules 0. Stems coated with mucilage. Leaves alternate, floating and peltate, sometimes also with submerged, dissected leaves. Flowers axillary, solitary, actinomorphic. Sepals 3. Petals 3, hypogynous. Stamens 3-18. Carpels 6-18 (in ours), free. Ovary with 1-3 ovules. Fruiting carpels indehiscent.
Comment: Differs from Nymphaeaceae in the free carpels. Worldwide: 2 genera and 6 species in tropical and warm temperate regions. Zimbabwe: 1 genus and 1 taxon. |