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ALISMATACEAE

WATER-PLANTAIN FAMILY

Charles E. Turner

Annual, perennial herb from corms, stolons, rhizomes, or tubers, aquatic (± emergent or on mud), generally bisexual; roots fibrous
Stem: caudex short
Leaves: basal, simple, palmately veined, sometimes floating; submersed blades generally linear to ovate; emergent blades linear to sagittate
Inflorescence generally scapose, umbel- to panicle-like; flowers whorled, in interrupted clusters
Flowers bisexual or unisexual, radial; sepals 3, generally green, generally persistent; petals 3, generally > sepals, white or pink; stamens 6–many; pistils 6–many, generally simple
Fruit: achene, generally compressed, beaked
Genera in family: ± 12 genera, 75–100 species: especially n hemisphere
Reference: [Rogers 1983 J Arnold Arbor 64: 383–420]

ALISMA

WATER PLANTAIN

Perennial; caudex generally corm-like
Leaf: blade linear to ovate, tapered to base or petioled
Inflorescence: peduncle generally smooth; pedicels < 45 mm in fruit
Flower bisexual; receptacle generally flat; sepals generally 1–4 mm; petals ± entire to slightly cut, white or pink; stamens generally 6; pistils many, free, in 1 whorl
Fruit: body generally 1.5–3 mm, erect, generally strongly compressed, lateral walls opaque to translucent, back thin-ridged; beak < body, generally lateral
Species in genus: ± 9 species: generally n temp
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name)
Reference: [Bjorkqvist 1968 Opera Bot 19:1–138]
North America species need careful study.

Native

A. gramineum Lej.


Leaf 6–30 cm; blade 3–7 cm, 0.8–2 cm wide, linear to narrowly lanceolate, base tapered
Inflorescence < to barely > leaves; pedicels generally spreading to recurved
Flower: petals white or pink; style ± curved
Fruit: lateral walls generally thick, opaque
Chromosomes: 2n=14
Ecology: Ponds, ditches
Elevation: 1200–1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to Canada, e US, Eurasia
Synonyms: A. geyeri Nicollet
Horticultural information: TRY.

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