Spermatophyta: Monocotyledonae: Alismatales

Alismataceae - Water-plantain family

Carter, S. (1960) Alismataceae Flora of Tropical East Africa

Gibbs Russell, G.E. (1977) Keys to Vascular Aquatic Plants in Rhodesia Kirkia 10(2) 411-502

Martins, E.S. & Catarino, L. (2009) Alismataceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2)

Description of the family

Glabrous, scapose, perennial, aquatic or swamp, herbs (in ours), with latex. Leaves erect, rarely floating or submerged, basal; petiole with an expanded sheathing base. Leaf lamina entire, simple. Inflorescence compound or simple, composed of whorls of branches or flowers; bracts 2 or 3 at the base of each whorl and sometimes several bracteoles. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual. Sepals 3, persistent, herbaceous. Petals 3, rarely 0. Stamens 3,6,9 or more. Carpels superior, 3-many, 1-locular. Fruit a cluster of achenes, arranged either spirally or in a single whorl.

Comment: The specimens for this family in SRGH were on loan and therefore no detailed records were available.

Worldwide: 14 genera and 100 species, cosmopolitan, but especially Northern temperate zones.

Zimbabwe: 5 genera and 5 taxa.

Links to genera: View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this family

Genus	Content
Alisma L.	Description, Image
Burnatia Micheli	Description, Image
Caldesia Parl.	Description, Image
Limnophyton Miq.	Description, Image
Wiesneria Micheli

Other sources of information about Alismataceae:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Alismataceae
Flora of Burundi: Alismataceae
Flora of Caprivi: Alismataceae
Flora of the DRC: Alismataceae
Flora of Malawi: Alismataceae
Flora of Mozambique: Alismataceae
Flora of Rwanda: Alismataceae
Flora of Zambia: Alismataceae
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Alismataceae

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Alismataceae
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Alismataceae
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Alismataceae
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Alismataceae
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Alismataceae
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Alismataceae
JSTOR Plant Science: Alismataceae
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Alismataceae
Wikipedia: Alismataceae
Plants of the World Online: Alismataceae
Tropicos: Alismataceae