Alismataceae

Alismataceae; Temporal range: Upper Cretaceous–Recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
	Sagittaria latifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Alismatales
Family:	Alismataceae; Vent.
Type genus
	Alisma; L.
Genera
	See text
	Alismataceae distribution map

The water-plantains (Alismataceae) are a family of flowering plants, comprising 20 genera (17 extant and 3 fossil) and 119 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 Alismataceae are robust perennials, but some may be annual or perennial, depending on water conditions — they are normally perennial in permanent waters, annual in more seasonal 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. There are 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 Wiesneria the petals are minute and even occasionally absent in female flowers. Stamens are 3, 6, 9 or numerous. The ovary is superior, comprising 3 - numerous free carpels in one whorl or in a clustered head. Each carpel contains 1 (-2) anatropous ovules.^{[clarification needed]}

Fruit is a head of nutlets (except in Damasonium). The seeds have no endosperm and a curved or folded embryo.

Classification

Under the APG III system, the Alismataceae includes three genera formerly members of the Limnocharitaceae. Altogether, there are 17 extant genera and two fossil genera assigned to the Alismataceae:^[3]^[4]^[5]

Alismataceae

Sagittaria

	Limnophyton

	Astonia

	Hydrocleys

	Butomopsis

Limnocharis

	Alisma

	Baldellia

Damasonium

Luronium

Burnatia

Albidella Pichon
Alisma - water-plantain L.
Alismaticarpum † Collinson
Astonia S.W.L.Jacobs
Baldellia - lesser water-plantain Parl.
Burnatia Micheli
Butomopsis Kunth
Caldesia Parl.
Damasonium - starfruit, thrumwort Mill.
Echinodorus - burhead, Amazon sword plant Rich. ex Engelm.

Helanthium (Benth. & Hook. f.) Engelm. ex J.G. Sm.
Hydrocleys Rich.
Limnocharis Bonpl.
Limnophyton Miq.
Luronium - floating water-plantain Raf.
Nichima † L.Hern., Cevallos-Ferriz et Hernández-Damián^[6]
Ranalisma Stapf
Sagisma † Nikitin
Sagittaria - arrowhead, duck potato, katniss, omodaka (Japanese: 沢瀉), swamp potato, tule potato, wapato, wapatoo L.
Wiesneria Micheli

Cultivation and uses

Several species, notably in the genus Sagittaria, have edible rhizomes, grown for both human food and animal fodder in southern and eastern Asia. They were eaten as food by the indigenous peoples of North America. Most have value as food for wildlife. Some are grown as ornamental plants in bog gardens, ponds and aquariums. The leaves and flower buds of Limnocharis flava are eaten in Southeast Asia as "poor people's vegetable".^[7]