Overview
Elatinaceae is a family of flowering plants with 35-50 species in 2 genera: Elatine and Bergia. 1] The Elatine are mostly aquatic herbs, and the Bergia are subshrubs to shrubs.[1] Elatine species are widely distributed throughout the world from temperate to tropical zones, with its greatest diversity found in temperate zones.[1] Bergia is found in temperate to tropical Eurasia and Africa, with two tropical and one tropical to temperate species in the Americas.[1] The center for biodiversity of Bergia is the Old World tropics, and this is also the center for biodiversity for the family.[1] Neither genus is found in arctic ecosystems.[1]
Member of the family have bisexual flowers, usually small flowers, single, or in cymes, with two to five overlapping petals. The plants have opposite or whorled leaves, which may have glands along their margins, and have stipules.[1] The aquatic herbs in the genus Elatine often have reduced characteristics as part of their adaptation to an aquatic habitat.[1]
Waterwort (Elatine hexandra), a member of this family, and 2 similar species ( and Elatine macropoda) are often grown in aquariums.
d="cite_ref-Davis.26Chase_0-4" class="reference">[1] Neither genus is found in arctic ecosystems.[1]Member of the family have bisexual flowers, usually small flowers, single, or in cymes, with two to five overlapping petals. The plants have opposite or whorled leaves, which may have glands along their margins, and have stipules.[1] The aquatic herbs in the genus Elatine often have reduced characteristics as part of their adaptation to an aquatic habitat.[1]
Waterwort (Elatine hexandra), a member of this family, and 2 similar species ( and Elatine macropoda) are often grown in aquariums.
References
External links
Taxonomy
The Family Elatinaceae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Genus (12): Alsinastrum · Bergia · Birolia · Crypta · Elatine · Elatinella · Hydropiper · Ilyphilos · Lancretia · Merimea · Potamopitys · Rhizium
- Species: ZipcodeZoo has pages for 154 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in the Family Elatinaceae.
Genera
Alsinastrum
Bergia
A genus in the Kingdom Animalia. [more]
Birolia
Crypta
Elatine
Herbs annual, aquatic. Stem prostrate, slender, rooting at nodes. Leaves opposite or verticillate, shortly petiolate; leaf blade small, margin usually entire. Flowers usually only 1 per node, very small. Sepals 2-4, united at base, membranous, apex subacute. Petals 2-4, longer than sepals, apex obtuse. Stamens 1 or 2 × as many as petals. Ovary globose, compressed, 2-4-loculed, apex truncate; ovules numerous; styles 2-4; stigmas capitate. Capsule membranous, 2-4-septicidal. Seeds straight, curved, or horseshoe-shaped, surface reticulate-striate with hexagonal or elliptic pits.[1] [more]
Elatinella
Hydropiper
Ilyphilos
Lancretia
Merimea
Potamopitys
Rhizium
More info about the Genus Rhizium may be found here.
References
Footnotes
- Qiner Yang & Gordon C. Tucker "Elatine". in Flora of China Vol. 13 Page 55, 56. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.
Sources
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